Kobe Bryant was never the same player when he recovered from his Achilles injury in 2013. Though he managed to make an NBA return, "Black Mamba" knew he wouldn't be in the league for too long.
According to former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Melvin Hunt, Kobe dropped subtle hints about his impending retirement weeks before he made it official. Hunt said Bryant used metaphorical language to suggest that his time on the court was ending, and he didn't need to prove anything at that point in his career.
"I have a picture, it's me and Kobe, walking off the court. I'm in Dallas, and I'm palming the back of his head. We're just giggling like two schoolgirls walking off the court. He hadn't announced that he was going to retire, but he was basically telling me right there. His whole perspective was different. He was telling me then and then after the game when we met up again on the loading dock, and he is talking cryptically. My man is talking to me, and he used an analogy, something like, 'If you're a fat kid, how can a fat kid complain about being hungry?' " Hunt told HoopsHype in 2021.
"There was some other stuff wrapped around it, but he was basically alluding to the point of I've had a great career. I've had an incredible career. I've had a great time. I've done all the things I wanted to do. I'm good. Then, a couple of weeks later, is when he made the announcement publicly that he was retiring," he continued.
Kobe was always one step ahead of everybody
Apart from seemingly mentally preparing himself for retirement, Bryant also often encouraged his younger teammates to start thinking about their post-retirement careers or passions while actively playing in the league. D'Angelo Russell was among the former Lakers players who received some meaningful advice from Kobe at the time.
Russell implied that Bryant emphasized that professional athletes' careers can be short-lived, and it's essential to have a concrete plan for the next chapter of their lives. DLo added that Bryant's advice stemmed from his own experience of transitioning from the intense and exhausting world of the NBA to exploring new ventures and opportunities beyond basketball.
"Guys go out and party in every city. I'm meeting with the CEO of Apple. Think about what you want to do when you're done playing and work on it now, so when the basketball's done for you, you've already built a brand," Russell remembered Kobe telling him.
Kobe's newfound passion in post-retirement
In 2016, Bryant officially called it a career. As expected, it didn't take long before he discovered a newfound passion for storytelling . This lifts the lid on why "Black Mamba" was being metaphorical as he approached the end of his career.
No longer confined to the basketball court, the five-time NBA champion turned his creative energies towards writing and filmmaking. He authored several books and even won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 with his "Dear Basketball."
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