Until he retires Kobe Bryant is going to be asked about retirement. That's the reality for nearly any star in any sport over the age of, like, 34. Speaking about the inevitable end after practice yesterday, the future Hall of Famer said "If you asked me today, this would be my last year. But you never know. We'll keep it open. Whatever happens, happens." This follows comments that he made less than 24 hours earlier when he said he was a "Laker for life," and that he wouldn't play for another franchise "no matter what." Bryant is currently in the final year of his contract.
The daily reality for the 37-year-old now requires a recovery process that's an "all-day" experience, it involves wrapping both knees in ice and keeping his right shoulder (the one with the surgically repaired rotator cuff) in a "cooling device." This, of course, brings to mind the daily chore fellow dinosaur Peyton Manning goes through simply taking off his pads. Bryant himself said that he occasionally wonders "Do I really want to do this anymore?"
Asked if he could continue with the constant routine of icing, massages, stretching, etc. Mamba claims "Yeah I could. If I wanted to keep playing, I could figure it out. Absolutely."
If you think he's going the coaching route after his playing days you'd be wrong. Says Bryant in what we think is a joke "I don't feel like dealing with divas. They're a pain in the a**."
We'd love to see Phil Jackson's face when he reads that.
[via ESPN]
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