The Last Days Of The Black Mamba

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We all knew it was coming but I still can't believe it's happening this soon.

Kobe Bryant, one of the best shooting guards of all-time and perhaps the best player of his generation, has decided that this will be his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In addition to the announcement of his retirement a few hours ago, the Black Mamba expressed his feelings about his impending departure from the National Basketball Association as a professional basketball player through two letters entitled "When We First Met I Was Just A Kid" and "Dear Basketball",.

Although Kobe Bryant's fierce and competitive nature suggests that he'd continue playing until the day he dies, it seems that the injuries, losses and abysmal performances finally got to him, forcing him to hang it up after this season.

If it was 2004, I couldn't care less. I hated this guy back then. At the time, I thought this guy was selfish and an egomaniac who'd rather drive a dominant center out of town just so the Lakers can become his team. I also disliked the fact that he was being compared by the media to Michael Jordan.

But with the passing of time, I learned to appreciate what he brought to the table and what he meant to the game. He is without a doubt one of the best scorers we've ever seen. After all, he did score 81 points in an NBA game, and that's the closest we've gotten to a Wilt Chamberlain-like performance in years.

His intensity and work ethic is unmatched. Words can't describe just how dedicated and passionate Kobe Bryant is about basketball. His letters speak for themselves. That is how most people would feel after realizing the thing that they've poured their heart and soul into for years has been completed. You could admire the impact of your work, but you wouldn't be thrilled that the thing you enjoyed doing for most of your life is finally over. And let's not forget that prior to his injury, he was able to keep in step with younger superstars like Lebron James and Kevin Durant, despite having a lot of mileage on his body. At his age, the only way Bryant could've done that is by taking care of his body and practicing religiously.

I also learned that some of my previous sentiments about this weren't guy completely accurate. It's really hard to be unselfish when you're a great scorer. Besides, it has been explained in "Kobe Bryant's Muse" it wasn't just about getting all the glory but more about relying more on himself rather than expecting people to get him out of a bind.

In addition, Shaquille O'Neal has said on record that his departure from the Lakers had little to do with Bryant and more with money. Furthermore, Kobe disliked Shaq for reasons other than becoming the face of the franchise. The way the big fella' tried to slap him during rookie year, as Stephen A. Smith recalls, kinda' rubbed him the wrong way and got their relationship off the wrong foot from the get-go. Shaq's laziness, among other things, added insult to injury.

And lastly, I realized that comparing him to MJ was the right thing to do. In a league craving for its next big star in the post-Jordan era, Kobe stepped up and reminded us why we fell in love with Jordan. First, he was a winner. He may have not won as much as MJ but he does have a fist full of rings. He's a two-time gold medalist in the Olympics to boot. He also participated and won a dunk contest like MJ. Scoring in bunches is another thing they shared, and the way Kobe did it was hauntingly familiar to that of Chicago Bulls legend. In addition to his scoring prowess, Bryant played great defense. He also boosted the popularity of basketball around the world to an all-time high. Kobe may not be Michael Jordan, and probably isn't as good as him, but someone once said he is his generation's Jordan and I couldn't agree more.

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant has done a lot for the game of basketball. His presence will be sorely missed once he leaves the game forever so let's cherish the moments we see him lace it up and heave forced shots one last time. And for those who still dislike him, as the song goes, don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till its gone?