Kobe Bryant 宣佈將在賽季結束後退役

Kobe Bryant 將何時退役？是新賽季 NBA 開賽以來最被熱議的話題之一，就在大家感傷「黑曼巴」的球場表現越發掙扎之時，這位傳奇球星終於在 The Players’ Tribune 上宣佈，將在賽季結束後結束自己的籃球生涯。在 Kobe 親自撰寫的這篇《Dear Basketball》獨白信中，每一字每一句都透露出他對於這項運動的熱愛，以及離別時刻的不捨。從兒時幻想自己在 Lakers 主場投進致勝絕殺開始，Kobe 便將自己的身心、精神和靈魂託付給籃球，即便在傷病、謠言和質疑的摧殘下，依舊為之傾其所有，最終通過不懈努力成為史上最偉大的球員之一。縱觀 Kobe 這傳奇的 20 年職業生涯，他為廣大球迷留下了無數永生難忘的瞬間，從三連冠時期的不可一世，到單場 81 分的君臨天下，再到生涯末端倒地救球的奮不顧身，「全力以赴」永遠是他的座右銘。下面便帶來這封獨白信的完整內容，也祝願 Kobe 能在剩下來的賽季中保持健康，為自己的職業生涯劃上完美句點！

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