36-year Old Star Basket-baller Kobe Bryant To Retire After Next Season

The BBall world will really miss this man and legend like some claim he is , Kobe Bryant has more than enough time to think about the future now that he's nursing a torn rotator cuff and he's apparently looking to life after basketball. The Black Mamba has said that he intends to finish his two year contract with the Lakers, which will net him $25 million next season, and then he's calling it quits.

The 36-year old was recently the focus and executive producer of a documentary dubbed "Kobe's Muse," which will air February 28th on Showtime, and he's intrigued by the possibility of pursuing this type of work in the future. Two figures he'd like to profile include his former coach Phil Jackson and Apple designer Jonathan Ive.

The five-time NBA champ has averaged 25.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game over his 19 seasons thus over, including 17 All-Star nominations though he was unable to compete this year.

Despite next year being Kobe's last in a Lakers uniform, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak won't simply be going 'championship or bust.' 

"To jeopardize the next five or seven years," Kupchak said, "bring in old veterans that make a lot of money, just to win one more year, because that's Kobe's last year or could be his last year, I'm not sure that fits into doing it the right way."
 
"We're going to look to do this the right way," Kupchak said, "which is to try to make prudent decisions about youth and veterans and making commitments to players under the existing rules. I'd love to be able to put together a young team that can win 55 games next year, but it's not that easy."
Championship or not, playoffs or not, Swaggy P or not, Kobe's final tour of the NBA next season will be well worth the price of admission.