Bryant, who is struggling through the worst season of his illustrious 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, said in a piece posted on the Players’ Tribune website that “I’m ready to let [basketball] go.”
The decision was not totally unexpected as the 37-year-old Lakers guard has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons and had recently said he was considering retirement.
“I can’t love you obsessively for much longer. This season is all I have left to give,” wrote Bryant. “My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.”
