Kobe Bryant Retiring? Lakers Star Says ‘I Don’t Care About The Money’

Could Kobe Bryant be walking away from the NBA for good soon?

Questions about the 36-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star have been circulating online and in the press for quite some time.

When considering Bryant’s history of severe injuries and the arguably lackluster performance of his team in recent seasons, it would not be surprising if Kobe Bryant did decide to retire.

The issue was brought up with the 16-time NBA All-Star in an interview with the Los Angeles Times recently. During the interview, Kobe did not bite his tongue when expressing his thoughts on retirement.

“I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t crossed my mind. Right now I doubt it…but anything’s possible.”

Many fans and critics started to debate about whether or not Kobe Bryant should retire after he tore his Achilles tendon. In many cases, that type of injury can quickly end the career of the average athlete. Even at a time where stars nearly half his age seem to rule the court, Bryant was able to recover from his injuries and deliver impressive performances on the court for his time since his return.

However, Kobe openly admits that his physical pain is something that does not seem to go away.

“My body is hurting like crazy, around the clock and if I don’t want to do this anymore, I won’t do it.”

Throughout the 2014-2015 season, Kobe has been able to play in most of the games — except for seven. However, head coach Byron Scott has monitored his on-court performance to ensure he doesn’t jeopardize the health and strength of his star player.

In Kobe’s own words, an Achilles rupture definitely puts thinks into perspective for everyone — including himself and Lakers officials.

“The Achilles’ rupture gives you a lot of perspective, I think the Achilles’ issue scared everyone. They don’t want to wear the tendons down, because you just can’t see that coming, there’s no warning. Pow! It’s gone.”

To say that Kobe Bryant has had a phenomenal career would be a major understatement. Back in December, Bryant became the third highest scoring NBA player of all time — surpassing Michael Jordan.

Kobe Bryant still has one year remaining on his two-year, $48.5 million contract which means that he would be giving up a lot of money if he were to choose to end his contract and retire after the current season. However, Bryant admits that the money is not even a factor for him.

“I don’t care about the money. If I don’t feel like doing it, I won’t do it.”

What do you think? Should Kobe Bryant retire?

[Image Credit: Bend Bulletin]