How Old Was Kobe Bryant When He Retired: What Motivated Kobe’s Retirement?

By Sirjan Chetri Last updated Dec 15, 2022

Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Los Angeles Lakers was against the Utah Jazz, in which he scored 60 points. Even though it occurred in 2016, this game is likely still fresh in the minds of most basketball fans.

So, what was Kobe’s age when he retired from the NBA? This article discusses the age at which Kobe retired from the NBA. Please read this article for complete details.

Moreover, if this article was helpful, please provide feedback. Your input is invaluable to us.

Table of Contents

Who Was Kobe Bryant?

Kobe is An American who played basketball professionally, Bean Bryant. He was a shooting guard who played his entire 20-year National Basketball Association career with the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA).

Bryant, who is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and scorers of all time, has won five NBA championships, been selected to the All-NBA Team 15 times, the All-NBA Team 15 times, the All-Defensive Team 12 times, and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008 and the NBA Finals MVP twice.

Bryant is fourth in the league’s all-time regular season and postseason scoring, and he also twice led the NBA in scoring. In 2020, he received a posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2021, he was selected for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

The youngest of three children and the lone son of Pamela Cox Bryant and former NBA player Joe Bryant, Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia.

Additionally, he was John “Chubby” Cox, an NBA player’s maternal, nephew. His parents gave him the name “Kobe beef” because they had seen it on a menu at a restaurant.

Kobe Bryant’s father’s nickname “Jellybean” inspired the creation of his middle name, Bean. Bryant was raised a practising Catholic because his family was.

How Old Was Kobe Bryant When He Retired?

Kobe was 18 years old when he graduated from Philadelphia’s Lower Marion High School and entered the NBA. As soon as he did so, he became well-known in the league.

Kobe averaged 7.6 points per game in his rookie year, which was quite respectable for a player of his age. Over the ensuing years, he also improved his scoring.

Kobe was 37 years old when he retired from the NBA, which is younger than most fans would have guessed. The number of years he played in the NBA is one reason why many individuals may believe he is older than he actually is.

Kobe began playing in the NBA at age 18. This means he played in the NBA for 20 seasons, which is nearly five times longer than the typical NBA career. Kobe Bryant was a black mamba, yet he led the team in scoring.

Kobe previously played for the Los Angeles Lakers, for whom he won five National Basketball Association (NBA) titles. He measured 2.10 metres and weighed 96 kilograms. Consider his retirement address:

What Motivated Kobe’s Retirement?

Towards the end of his career, Kobe’s injuries began to take their toll, and he no longer possessed the same explosiveness. On average, NBA players begin to decline around age 30, but Kobe remained a dominant player and scorer until his Achilles injury in his 35th season.

Kobe wore the number 8 for nine seasons and won three championships before switching to the number 24 in 2005. The numbers 8 and 24 Bryant were comparable to two distinct types of players with distinct identities.

The #8 Kobe was one of the most prolific scorers in league history, whereas the #24 Kobe wore down opponents with a lethal mid-range game centred on creating space for his shots.

What Were Kobe Bryant’s Last Words?

It is difficult to know what Kobe Bryant’s final words were, but the night before his death, he sent one final tweet to LeBron James after James passed Kobe on the all-time scoring list.

The Los Angeles Times published a detailed timeline of the events leading up to Kobe’s death, as well as the immediate aftermath in the sports world.

How Was Kobe’s Personal Life?

The third and final child was Bryant. He was close to his two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, up until the day of his passing. In November 1999, Vanessa Laine was a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video “G’d Up,” where she met Bryant, who was 21.

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Bryant was in the building working on his debut album. Laine was still a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California when they first started dating, and they got engaged in May 2000.

She completed high school on her own so that she wouldn’t be followed by the media. On April 18, 2001, they exchanged vows at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.

The wedding was not attended by Bryant’s parents, two sisters, longtime agent and advisor Arn Tellem, or his Laker teammates.