NBA Rumors: Kobe Bryant not looking to go on retirement tour
By Josh Hill
Last year we saw baseball legend Mariano Rivera go on a farewell retirement tour, receiving gifts from every ballpark he played in for the last time. This year Derek Jeter will be getting the same honor as he’s announced he will be retiring once the season is over and that 2014 is the final year to see Jeter live if you haven’t already.
But when it comes to NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, he’s not going to go the Jeter route and announce his retirement ahead of time. Instead, the future Hall of Famer is going to go out Michael Jordan style and do so after his last season has been played.
Per Tim Bontempts of there New York Post:
"“I don’t know,” Bryant said before Sunday night’s All-Star Game when asked if he’d thought about when he’s going to retire. “I don’t know. I’m not … you know, personality, my personality is, I don’t really want the rocking chair before the game. It would drive me crazy.”"
Kobe is not afraid of the spotlight, in fact he relishes in it. But it does say a lot about how humbled he is to have the career he’s had to not want a circus during his last season in the NBA. This will either make every trip Kobe makes to your local stadium the possibly last one he makes, or it will simply mean that Bryant will ride off into the sunset without the chance for the circus to get too crazy.
Either one will likely be alright with Kobe.