NBA: Kobe before Jersey retirement:”This is my home”

On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers will draw both Kobe Bryant jerseys under the hall ceiling in the game against the Golden State Warriors (from 4:30 a. m. on DAZN). Bryant spoke to ESPN about the jerseys and his career.

Bryant will be the first player in NBA history to retired two numbers in a team. The Shooting Guard had worn the number 8 from 1996-2006 and then decided for the 24 – “It was a white vest, so to speak,”said Bryant,”I started all over again. A complete new start focusing on a number that meant a lot to me.”

With number 8, Bryant won three of his five titles and scored 16,777, almost exactly half of his career points,”The 8th was about proving that I belong in the league and that I am one of the best players. It was non-stop attack and aggression,”Kobe said.”The 24 marked a growth of it.”

After changing his number, Bryant won two more championships, his only MVP award and both of his final MVP awards,”The physical attributes aren’t as pronounced as before, but you’re more mature. Marriage, children. You have a different perspective because you are now one of the older people in the team. Things are evolving without me saying that one was better than the other.”

However, Bryant was also asked which “version” of him he himself found the best, as Lakers fans have enjoyed discussing it for years. His surprising answer:”To be honest, it was the season in which I tore my Achilles tendon. I think I’ve played the best basketball of my entire career so far.”

Bryant was seriously injured at the end of the 2012/13 season after ignoring all the warnings from his doctors and teammates for weeks,”I had to work like a madman to play, but I was playing. Mentally and emotionally, I was able to think five or six steps ahead of the game. That was crazy. It almost killed me, but it was fun.”

Meanwhile Kobe has finished with basketball according to his own statement and concentrates on other topics, including his short film “Dear Basketball”, with which he was recently nominated for an Oscar. Nevertheless, he looks forward to the ceremony:”This is my home. It will be a pleasure to be surrounded by the people who have accompanied me all my life and watched me grow up – and to thank them one last time.”