Kobe

So some people post about sports on here so I guess I'll join the party. One of the biggest stories in sports this year is the recent announcement that this NBA season will be the last for Kobe Bryant. Whether you follow basketball of not or even if you don't follow sports you almost definitely know who Kobe is. To many sports fans (most of them slightly older than me) Kobe is an icon and a childhood hero, similar to how basketball players like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson were before Kobe. I grew up watching Kobe play and as someone who follows basketball closely I find Kobe an extremely interesting person to observe both on and off the court. What intrigues me the most about Kobe Bryant is that in some aspects he is an exceptional and admirable man, and in others he is a great example of how not to live your life. The number one criticism against Kobe is always going to be that he was accused of rape in the summer of 2003. Rape cases involving athletes of other rich and famous people are often called into question because there have been cases of people claiming that rich and famous people have raped them in order to get a large settlement check out of them. Kobe admitted to having sex with the woman, and was married at the time, so either way he comes of the situation looking like a real scumbag. When looking at the facts of the trail, I think that there is decent evidence for both sides, however eventually his accuser refused to testify and the charges were dropped. Kobe's wife stayed with him for another eight years and then divorced him, but then returned to him in 2013 and the two are still married today. Personally, based off of what I know about Kobe as a person I don't think that he's guilty but clearly I am not an expert, I'm just going off my observations and gut feeling. Other lesser knocks on Kobe include him being a poor teammate who drives other star players away and also him being a ball hog who doesn't pass as much as he should. Just as with the rape case, there is a decent argument on both sides. Anyway on to the positive. Kobe has played 20 seasons in the NBA, every single one of them with the Los Angeles Lakers. This loyalty is impressive no matter which way you cut it. Often times Kobe has had opportunities to get paid more of be on better teams, but he has always stuck with the Lakers. This past week Kobe took himself out of the starting lineup so that younger players could get more minutes in. Kobe is also an extremely hard worker and a tough player. Kobe always gives 100% on the floor, even now after 20 years of wear and tear. Kobe is also a very tough player, playing through injuries, controversy and distractions all through his career. Kobe is also an exciting player and an incredible showman, his most memorable performance occurring on January 22nd, 2006 when Kobe put up 81 points. If you aren't familiar with basketball, here are some rough comparisons to 81 points in other sports:

an NFL quarterback throwing 14 touchdowns
a hockey player scoring 10 goals
a baseball player hitting 5 home runs

Anyway love him or hate him (personally I have both feelings toward him) Kobe is an incredible athlete and an icon, and his retirement is a significant event in American sports.