即使你是否喜歡看籃球比賽，但一定也曾聽過這位 NBA 球壇巨星的名字 —— Kobe Bryant （高比拜仁）。現年 37 歲的他已經經歷了 20 個球季，不過就在今天，Kobe 對外宣佈在這個球季完結後將會退出球壇！
在 2013 年 4 月 13 日 Kobe 檢查發現跟腱有撕裂現象，當天馬上進行手術後 Kobe，經過 8 個月的修養後在 2013 年 12 月正式复出，不過好景不長，在 2015 年 1 月出戰紐奧良鵜鶘時再次受傷，因為有舊患的原因，這次的傷比想像中嚴重得多！
不過就在今天，Kobe 在 The Players’ Tribune 網站表示，2015-16賽季是他在NBA最後一個賽季，他將在本賽季結束後退休！事後 The Players’ Tribune 網站曾一度癱瘓！
Kobe 退出球壇的一封新：
Dear Basketball
“From the moment
I started rolling my dad’s tube socks
And shooting imaginary
Game-winning shots
In the Great Western Forum
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body
To my spirit & soul.
As a six-year-old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never saw the end of the tunnel.
I only saw myself
Running out of one.
And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court
After every loose ball for you.
You asked for my hustle
I gave you my heart
Because it came with so much more.
I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me
But because YOU called me.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
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.
And that’s OK.
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.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the rolled up socks
Garbage can in the corner
:05 seconds on the clock
Ball in my hands.
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1”
Love you always,
Kobe
