Source: Barry King / Getty
So Kobe Bryant is really turning 40 years old today.
It’s hard to think that one of the greatest athletes of all time is not a young whipper snapper anymore.
Kobe officially announced his retirement from the NBA in 2016 after winning five championships and going to 18 All-Star Games with the Lakers. Before his last official game, he wrote a letter to his fans saying:
“My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it’s time to say goodbye. You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream, and I’ll always love you for it. But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.”
Kobe has been many people’s favorite player since entering the league in 1996. We’ve seen hip, young Kobe.
And we’ve seen Mamba, the family/ business man, all grown up.
Source: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty
In honor of #Mamba40, let’s take a look at some of the moments when Kobe wasn’t in game mode and before he was the GOAT. Hit the flip to see some young, fun, KB moments.
#Mamba40: A Look Back At Kobe Bryant’s Most Youthful, Off-Court Moments We Forgot About was originally published on globalgrind.com
