Kobe Bryantannounced that this season will be his last on Sunday, making official what we all could have gleaned just by watching him play.
As the tributes and positive messages began to flood the Internet in praise of one of the game's all-time greats, J.R. Smith was one player who called out the hypocritical nature of this sudden burst of praise.
Setting aside the horrific spelling and grammar, Smith's message is crystal clear.
Bryant was perhaps the NBA's most polarizing player ever, and was the constant subject of criticism and attacks by both fans and the media alike, even when he was at the height of his powers. And this season, as he has continued to launch shot after shot while making them at a historically low percentage, he's gotten killed by just about everyone for gunning as he always has.
All of it stopped on Sunday once the retirement announcement made the rounds, if only for just one night. Smith simply wished people gave Bryant the respect he deserved during his career, instead of rushing to do so now when the end is firmly in sight.
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