Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant announced he will retire from the NBA after the current season, news he shared with his fans via a poem he posted on The Players’ Tribune website.
Bryant is leaving the league after he completes his 20th season with the Lakers. He won five NBA championships with the team—three with Shaquille O’Neal from 2000 to 2002, and he then led the Lakers to titles in 2009 and 2010, Fortune sibling publication Sports Illustratedreports. Bryant was also an NBA All-Star selection 17 times throughout his career and won two Olympic gold medals. But he has struggled recently, sidelined by injuries.
Bryant notably took to Twitter to share the news with his nearly 8 million followers. In the post, he wrote “My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.”
Dear Basketball: https://t.co/KDecft6BO2#KB20
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 29, 2015
Bryant earned $49.5 million last year, according to Forbes, enough to rank No. 39 among the 100 richest celebrities and the highest paid NBA star for the fifth straight year for the 2014-2015 season. But interestingly, slightly more than half of his earnings—$26 million—were from endorsements. Bryant is a Nike (NKE) athlete, though he has also endorsed other non-athletic brands. He also invested millions in sports drink BodyArmor last year.
