Kobe Bryant told Bryon Scott about retirement mid-game vs Blazers

Kobe Bryant told his coach mid-game he was going to retire after the 2015-16 NBA season.

Kobe Bryant’s retirement plans weren’t told behind close doors to those closest to him. While his retirement wasn’t spur of the moment as was thought, he told Los Angeles Lakers head coach Bryon Scott about retiring in the middle of their game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

As Scott told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, “I said, ‘KB, I played you 20 minutes in the first half. I’m going to cut those minutes down. I’ve got to cut them down.’ ‘That’s good, coach. That’s all right. I’m going to announce my retirement after the game.'”

Scott’s reaction to Bryant’s retirement announcement plans caught him off guard understandably.

“I said, ‘What?!'” Scott told ESPN. “That was the shock part. I was in that state for the rest of the game. Even when I was watching him play [and] I was watching him running up and down, I’m going, ‘Did he just tell me [that]?'”

Bryant will go down as one of the best to play the game. He’s played basketball on his terms throughout the season and is going out when he wants despite many others thinking he played one or two seasons too many.

Nonetheless, Bryant’s retirement didn’t catch the fans off guard as much as it did when he explained his plans to his coach after the half. It wasn’t that Scott isn’t supportive or doesn’t understand why he’s retiring, but the timing of his announcement was unusual. Yet, it was a fitting way for Bryant to give the initial plan to his coach as he’s not been one to follow the status quo throughout his NBA career.