What age did Kobe retire from the NBA, and why? The emotional end of a Lakers legend
Years after Kobe Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, everyone has been questioning, "What age did Kobe retire from the NBA, and why?" In late 2015, the American star announced his retirement from professional basketball in an emotional tribute.
I’m ready to let you go. I want you to know now. So we both can savor every moment we have left together. The good and the bad we have given each other. All that we have.
Source: Facebook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Kobe retired from the NBA on April 13, 2016, aged 37.
- The NBA star spent the entire 20 years of his career playing shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Kobe won five NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs, and two Olympic gold medals, among other awards, during his professional career.
- Bryant tragically passed on in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, alongside his daughter, Gianna.
- After retiring from professional basketball, Kobe ventured into coaching youth basketball and entrepreneurship before meeting his tragic end in early 2020.
Kobe Bryant's profile summary
| Full name | Kobe Bean Bryant |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | August 23, 1978 |
| Time of death | January 26, 2020 |
| Age | 41 years old (at the time of death) |
| Place of birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 feet 6 inches |
| Weight | 96 kg (approx) |
| Father | Joe Bryant |
| Mother | Pam Bryant |
| Siblings | Sharia and Shaya |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Wife | Vanessa Bryant |
| Children | Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri |
| Education | Lower Merion High School |
| Profession | Professional basketball player |
| Net worth | $600 million |
| Social media | InstagramFacebookX (Twitter) |
What age did Kobe retire from the NBA?
Kobe Bryant retired at age 37. His last game was on April 13, 2016, where he scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz. This marked the end of his illustrious 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant announced his retirement on November 29, 2015, through a poem, Dear Basketball, published in The Player's Tribune. Part of the emotional poem read,
This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.
Source: Original
Did Kobe retire before he died?
Kobe Bryant retired before he passed away. He retired from professional basketball on April 13, 2016, after playing his final NBA game with the Los Angeles Lakers. The top NBA player died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, nearly four years after retirement.
Why did Kobe retire so early?
Kobe suffered a series of significant injuries, including an Achilles tendon rupture in 2013, which kept him out of the league for nearly nine months. This injury and subsequent knee and shoulder issues reportedly slowed his explosive ways of playing the game.
Additionally, he felt his passion for the game was dwindling. He revealed this during an interview with Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. Kobe said,
And normally what happens with me is my mind would always drift to the game. Always. And then I found myself sitting there. My mind wouldn't drift towards the game all the time anymore.
Source: Getty Images
What did Kobe Bryant do after he retired?
After retiring from professional basketball, Kobe Bryant embarked on multiple activities. In 2018, he rebranded Mambas Sports Academy alongside Chad Faulkner. He also coached his daughter Gianna's basketball team, The Mambas.
In 2017, Bryant launched Granity Studios, a production company through which he created an Oscar-winning animated short film, Dear Basketball, based on his retirement letter to the sport.
Kobe's after-retirement ventures also included developing a series of children's books, including The Wizenard Series. Despite retiring, Kobe remained connected to the NBA, attending games and cheering players, including stars like LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
What age do basketball players retire?
Most basketball players retire from the NBA in their mid-thirties, between ages 34 and 37. However, some players like LeBron James, Vince Carter, and Karl Malone have extended their careers into their late 30s and 40s.
Source: Getty Images
Trivia
- Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on August 23, 1978.
- Kobe's father, Joe Bryant, was also an NBA player, and his maternal uncle, John "Chubby" Cox, played in the NBA.
- Bean started playing basketball at three and became a standout player at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania.
- The American star reportedly skipped college and went straight to the NBA draft.
- The Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA draft, but he was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
- The former Los Angeles Player married Vanessa Laine in 2001, and they had four daughters together: Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, and Capri.
- Kobe was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
The question, "What age did Kobe retire?" has been among the most frequently asked about the player. Bryant's retirement shocked the basketball world, marking the end of an era. At 37, the Lakers legend announced his decision through a heartfelt poem.
READ ALSO: Is Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, dating anyone today?
Briefly.co.za published an article about Vanessa Bryant, a well-known American fashion model and philanthropist best known as Kobe Bryant's widow. Vanessa and Bryant first met in the late nineties before tying the knot in 2001.
Throughout their marriage, they welcomed four daughters before Kobe passed on in a helicopter accident in early 2020. Explore more facts about Kobe Bryant and Vanessa.
Source: Briefly News
