NBA since 1996. During those 17 years, Bryant has 5 NBA championships. He is not the oldest in the NBA; New York Knicks player Kurt Thomas is 40 years old, and Robert Parish played till 43 before he retired, but Kobe Bryant has no plans of clocking 40 on the game.
In a recent interview during the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend, when asked how much time he has left in his professional basketball career, the Los Angeles Laker replied: “Probably two years max. Two years max. Next year might be it. It’s one of those things I think I’ll wake up and I’ll know. And if it’s it for me, that’s it, and there’s no looking back.”
Bryant’s $30.5 million contract ends after next season. There’s always the option for a one-year deal, but considering he’s made bank from his endorsements with everyone from Adidas to Turkish Airlines through the years, Black Mamba might be headed for that early retirement after an illustrious.
