Kobe drops hint about retirement?

[RazorBaLade]

Dave McMenamin @mcten Reply Retweet Favorite

[gyu]

He's what, 33 right now? Not that unexpected if he retires in 3-4 years.

[Cangri]

Nah, the only way he retires is if he gets a carrier ending injury.

Players like him just can't walk away from the sport they love, they would love to play even in their 40s if a team gives them the chance.

[Court Vision]

Is this really shocking?

[Heavincent]

This condensed season will be the end of him.

**** Stern. Thanks for shortening the career of an all-time great just so you could make a few extra bucks :hammerhead:

[StateOfMind12]

If I had to take a guess, Kobe is going to retire by 35-36. Kobe really doesn't have much left in the tank anymore. I didn't see him falling off so fast again but I guess this is why people should wait till the end of the season and the end of the post-season to their rankings on the best and worst players in the league. Kobe was probably #1 and #2 to a lot of people 3-4 weeks ago and now this guy is probably not even top 5 to some people anymore.

[RazorBaLade]

He's what, 33 right now? Not that unexpected if he retires in 3-4 years.

I guess its not unexpected but I hope to see him coming out from the bench and contributing on laker championship teams 6 years from now. Probably won't happen though.

[DMV2]

They only play there once right?
Yup. Inter-conference games are twice a year for each teams, one home game and one away.

He'll be 34 at the start of the 2012-13 season, 35 for 2013-14, 36 for 2014-15....

Yeah, not many left.

[cuad]

change :(

[AMISTILLILL]

http://i41.tinypic.com/25u4owm.gif

[kennethgriffin]

lol this could mean anything from retiring next year to retiring in 2017

[305Baller]

This is Kobe's final NBA season.
He will play in china next year and for the next 6 years and he will attempt to break Wilt's 100 point record.

:D

[Court Vision]

Gonna be a sad day when the modern day king retires -- hoop heads, cherish every shot this dude puts up.

He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0326/nba_g_bryant_576.jpg

[bmulls]

I will be sad when Kobe retires. Besides Lebron there just aren't very many polarizing players left in the NBA.

[StarJordan]

>He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

if he's a legend, then robert horry and allen iverson are legends too..

[AMISTILLILL]

>He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

if he's a legend, then robert horry and allen iverson are legends too..

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I hate Kobe Bryant... but come off it, man.

[Court Vision]

>He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

if he's a legend, then robert horry and allen iverson are legends too..

I am willing to bet you are new to basketball.

Iverson IS a legend.

Horry is a legend in his own miniscule regard. He contributed on many winning teams, and as much as many of us want to discredit him, he 'played' on chip teams.

[Legends66NBA7]

>He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

if he's a legend, then robert horry and allen iverson are legends too..

Well here's another one...

[Fudge]

If I had to take a guess, Kobe is going to retire by 35-36. Kobe really doesn't have much left in the tank anymore. I didn't see him falling off so fast again but I guess this is why people should wait till the end of the season and the end of the post-season to their rankings on the best and worst players in the league. Kobe was probably #1 and #2 to a lot of people 3-4 weeks ago and now this guy is probably not even top 5 to some people anymore.
He's 34 this year. Averaging 29 a game at this age and you think he's gonna retire by next season or the year after that?

[kennethgriffin]

>He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

if he's a legend, then robert horry and allen iverson are legends too..

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa280/cashforcards/frewqf.jpg

[StateOfMind12]

He's 34 this year. Averaging 29 a game at this age and you think he's gonna retire by next season or the year after that?
Actually Kobe is 33 right now but next season he will be 34. I think he has 2-3 seasons left, maybe 4.

[Xover]

the first two years after kobe's retirement will give the NBA a very eerie feeling

I might go as far as to say that I will probably lose some interest in the game. It just aint the same without kobe, because by the time he retires, we would have lost Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Paul Pierce, KG, Ray Allen etc

[32Dayz]

GOAT player.
When he retires... definitely in the Top 15 All-Time.

I kinda think he is the type to play till he is old though... I may not be a Kobe fan but I know he enjoys playing the game and he is the type who will want to break more scoring list records so... yeah he wont be retiring until he really has too.

[bizil]

It could be soon. But then again MJ played till 40. So Kobe could be around for 6 more seasons. Who knows. I do think eventually that u will see more of the legends play into their 40's. Technology and medicine dictates that guys if they are healthy and willing can play at a very good level in their 40's. MJ in my book was at minimum top 10 (Im sure even higher)SF even at 40 years old. Especially when u look at it in the all around sense. When u have complete scoring arsenals and all around games like MJ and Kobe, it lends itself to this kind of shit if the body is healthy enough.

But at the same time, its often family issues and the mental strain that makes guys retire. And rightfully so.

[LakersFan626]

If I had to take a guess, Kobe is going to retire by 35-36. Kobe really doesn't have much left in the tank anymore. I didn't see him falling off so fast again but I guess this is why people should wait till the end of the season and the end of the post-season to their rankings on the best and worst players in the league. Kobe was probably #1 and #2 to a lot of people 3-4 weeks ago and now this guy is probably not even top 5 to some people anymore.

Kobe's definitely still in the top 5... it's very hard to say that LeBron, Wade, Durant, etc. are better than Kobe because Kobe's mental edge is unparalleled and he's still averaging almost 30 a game in his 16th season while having a wrist injury. Plus Kobe's a proven winner, which LeBron isn't yet.

I look at more than just PPG and efficiency when rating the best player in the league (and many players still say Kobe's the best).

[32Dayz]

Kobe's definitely still in the top 5... it's very hard to say that LeBron, Wade, Durant, etc. are better than Kobe because Kobe's mental edge is unparalleled and he's still averaging almost 30 a game in his 16th season while having a wrist injury. Plus Kobe's a proven winner, which LeBron isn't yet.

I look at more than just PPG and efficiency when rating the best player in the league (and many players still say Kobe's the best).

Mental edge?
He sucked terribly in the 08 Finals costing his team any chance of winning that year.
He sucked terribly in the 4 Finals wins in 2010 and needed to be carried by Gasol in 3/4 games and Fisher in the other game.

Where is this Mental edge?

Kobe is not a proven winner.
The LA franchise is a proven winner and the fact that he played on teams that included Prime/Peak Shaq and then Peak Gasol / Prime Odom as a 3rd man and Bynum + a deep bench with Phil Jackson and some battle tested veterans is the reason why he is a winner.

DWade and certainly Lebron are both better players that simply haven't had the luxury of being surrounded by good casts their entire career and they didn't have the GOAT Center and arguably GOAT player in Prime/Peak Shaq for 8 years.

Get off his nuts. :facepalm

[NoName22]

Mental edge?
He sucked terribly in the 08 Finals costing his team any chance of winning that year.
He sucked terribly in the 4 Finals wins in 2010 and needed to be carried by Gasol in 3/4 games and Fisher in the other game.

Where is this Mental edge?

Kobe is not a proven winner.
The LA franchise is a proven winner and the fact that he played on teams that included Prime/Peak Shaq and then Peak Gasol / Prime Odom as a 3rd man and Bynum + a deep bench with Phil Jackson and some battle tested veterans is the reason why he is a winner.

DWade and certainly Lebron are both better players that simply haven't had the luxury of being surrounded by good casts their entire career and they didn't have the GOAT Center and arguably GOAT player in Prime/Peak Shaq for 8 years.

Get off his nuts. :facepalm

Man........ just fukk your opinion.

Can't you just shut up ?

[brisbaneman]

I wonder what the hell he will do with his life once he retires from the NBA. I don't think he has many interests outside of the sport.

[32Dayz]

Man........ just fukk your opinion.

Can't you just shut up ?

Because someone has to post the truth.

ok ill try it your way *puts on mental blindfold* Kobe played with trash his entire Career and single handedly carried his 5 championship teams in the playoffs and in the finals providing consistently legendary performances all 5 years.

He is truly the GOAT and better then Jordan,Shaq, Kareem and everyone else.

:hammerhead:

[RazorBaLade]

32 dayz, can you point us to 3 separate accounts who have all said kobe is better than jordan kareem or shaq?

I'll wait.

Somehow I think there's one idiot who pops in to say kobe best player of all time like once a month and disappears and then 20 accounts pop up which do nothing but trash kobe to make up for this one post. It's insane.

[32Dayz]

32 dayz, can you point us to 3 separate accounts who have all said kobe is better than jordan kareem or shaq?

I'll wait.

Somehow I think there's one idiot who pops in to say kobe best player of all time like once a month and disappears and then 20 accounts pop up which do nothing but trash kobe to make up for this one post. It's insane.

I was being sarcastic obviously.
Only a small *but sizable* % of his fans consider him the GOAT.

Many of his fans however consider him Top 5 or better then Shaq/Duncan which is almost as ridiculous.

My point is that Kobe has won so much because of circumstances not because his individual play is better then Bron or Wade or because he has some sort of mental edge or "killer instinct".

That is just stupid and not true at all. I hate people who say that.

Example : Kobe Stan : Kobe is better then Lebron even this year because he has that mental edge that Lebron doesn't have.

omfg... :facepalm

[tomtucker]

I wonder what the hell he will do with his life once he retires from the NBA. I don't think he has many interests outside of the sport.

he could allways work as a poolboy for his ex-wife :( .........bet when he retires and the money is gone, he O.J

[Chrono90]

Maybe the injuries and divorce is getting him upset. He will stay once he gets over it. He's a true baller. His inner conscious will tell him to keep playing till he's 40 and physically done.

[rodman91]

Kidd,Duncan,Garnett,Allen,Nash,Hill,T-Mac,Carter & Kobe... :applause:

[Reverend Hoops]

I guess its not unexpected but I hope to see him coming out from the bench and contributing on laker championship teams 6 years from now. Probably won't happen though.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

[upside24]

Gonna be a sad day when the modern day king retires -- hoop heads, cherish every shot this dude puts up.

He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0326/nba_g_bryant_576.jpg
:applause:

[SlayerEnraged]

Unless he gets a serious injury, I think he'll be here for 6 or so years. This is Kobe Bryant we're talking about...I Doubt he's going to decline rapidly...I think it'll be proportional like MJ from 96-98 but maybe not...we'll see.

[unbreakable]

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[LakersReign]

Kobe is one of those guys who's only going to retire when he has an injury that stops him from playing competitively. He's been playing with accumulative injuries for the last few years, and as sad as it will be, eventually that will take it's toll. We'll just have to wait and see how his career turns out and enjoy what he's been giving us until then.

[FireMcFailPlease]

the melt down by dickriders here will be epic. ill be sure to tune in

[SwayDizzle]

Gonna be a sad day when the modern day king retires -- hoop heads, cherish every shot this dude puts up.

He's a legend whether you want to admit it or not.

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0326/nba_g_bryant_576.jpg

Ow Lawdbe, don't leave us

[LockoutOver11]

i always avoided talking about kobe at all in this forum...

but i never understood why kobe was never very popular among franchise players during the time he was playing or suppose to be playing his best ball... and only until recent years it seems kobe's persona and popularity has elevated.. i wonder as nba fans in general how much will they miss what kobe brought to the game once he retires in comparison to how much people miss A.I, or Shaq, or will miss McGrady, Pierce, Kidd, Allen...

I don't think I'll miss Kobe to much when he hangs it up... tho I don't think I was ever suppose to. Im not really much of a fan of SGs except Iverson for some reason...

[barnett114]

32Dayz got banned.

:applause:

He keeps getting banned from RealGM too.

Why did he get banned?

[SwooshReturns]

This condensed season will be the end of him.

**** Stern.
You shmuck ... eff the players. They did this to themselves. Their demands were ludicrous in this economic climate. They made the bed, they have to sleep in it.

I remember the look on Kobe's face when they didn't take that first deal. He was pissed. He knows the writing is on the walk. He has looked SO BAD the past few weeks.

[rfoster24]

noooooooooooo why must he say things like this?:cry:

[Legends66NBA7]

32Dayz got banned.

:applause:

He keeps getting banned from RealGM too.

Why did he get banned?

He went to excessive with his Kobe agenda and was also trolling too much, as well.

Plus, there were board members that kept asking for him to be banned.

[Heavincent]

You shmuck ... eff the players. They did this to themselves. Their demands were ludicrous in this economic climate. They made the bed, they have to sleep in it.

I remember the look on Kobe's face when they didn't take that first deal. He was pissed. He knows the writing is on the walk. He has looked SO BAD the past few weeks.

Yes, but Stern should have scheduled less games. 66 is too many to play in such a short time span.

And by the way, Kobe looked great against the Suns last night, so maybe he's getting out of his shooting slump :cheers: I'm sure he'll be fine.

[LakersReign]

32Dayz got banned.

:applause:

He keeps getting banned from RealGM too.

Why did he get banned?

The clown keeps getting banned off every forum he's been on, cuz he's a pathetic know nothing about anything no life outside of the professional internet troll. He bandwagons every popular team, not named Lakers, and switches teams and sides just to have something to say. Ergo the Knicks avi, when 99% of his posts are about Kobe. The moron doesn't really believe the crap he spouts, which is exactly why he can't defend anything he says, since he's really just arguing for the sake of arguing. And also why his so called defense for the stupid things he says, make no sense, cuz he's clearly making it up as he goes along.

Then when he embarrasses himself enough, he goes into wannabe ethug mode, which is hilarious as hell. It's like watching a little child throw a temper tantrum. He actually is delusional enough to believe it makes him look like a bada** to keep responding, even though he says one dumb statement after another, oblivious to just how stupid he looks. Then when he gets really heated, he starts posting Derp, or durp, like a pure ret**d, which indicates the clown is really either 12-15 years old, mentally ret**ded, or both.:facepalm

[Himan12]

Will people honestly be sad when carter and tmac hang them up? I just find it hard to believe.

I can understand the celtics trio, kobe, nash, duncan, kidd ect because of what they accomplished in their respective careers.

[bluechox2]

what will happen to the kobestans when kobe retires

[miller-time]

didn't he want to play in italy at some point?

[CavaliersFTW]

what will happen to the kobestans when kobe retires

http://deathby1000papercuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/suicide.jpg

[I<3NBA]

http://deathby1000papercuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/suicide.jpg
:lol

srsly tho. the only way i see Kobe retiring is if he stops breathing.

[Yanch856]

Why not?

What's Kobe playing for?

The 6th ring? He knows he'll never surpass MJ even with a 6th ring.
Shaq's all time record? He's passed it.
Money? He's in a better financial situation than Iverson.
Keeping his mind off his divorced sad life? Vanessa kissed him on Valentine's day, and the papers' not even final.

He's smart if he quits when he's on top.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

what will happen to the kobestans when kobe retires

The same thing Jordan stans do on here.