Kobe Bryant retirement is expected to take place after this season.
He said it himself. However, after his atrocious shooting in game versus Golden State Warriors, to see the Los Angeles Lakers star walk away from the game might happen before the year ends.
Lakers general manager Mike Kupchak revealed Kobe Bryant has already told him that "this is it", probably hinting that he wants to quit the NBA where his playing for almost 20 seasons now.
"Wow! This is a turnaround from the reports that this would be Kobe's last season. In fact, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said that Kobe told him 'this is it'" Hollywood Life reported.
Kupchak said the Black Mamba is frustrated with the way Lakers campaign is going.
"He doesn't want to have his career end on such a sour note," the insider tells the entertainment website about Kobe Bryant retirement, adding the five-time NBA champion is not thrilled "with how this season is going so far."
The game against the Warriors was a frustrating one for Lakers and their fans. They were drubbed by the Dub Nation, 111-77, in a night when Kobe previously said there is a chance they can stop the train that is the Warriors. The worse part of that is that they did not get anything from Black Mamba who shot 1/14 in the field.
While Kobe Bryant retirement is something many critics point to as the solution to the Lakers problem, coach Byron Scott insists he hasn't lost faith to his player.
"He just wasn't making them...I got faith in Kobe that he'll be okay, but tonight he was really struggling," Scott said as per Laker Nation's Serena Winter.
After the game, Kobe Bryant also expressed disappointment regarding his performance.
"The frustration just kind of got to me tonight, it affected the way I played, the way I shot - blowing coverages defensively," he said.
"Coming down offensively & not having a concept of what we're trying to do. I feel okay just pissed, just kinda frustrated w/ what we were doing, it bothered me. So I got out of my Zen tonight."
He also blamed his legs, which underwent through major injuries, for his poor shooting form.
"I was just frustrated tonight and it took me out of my mental focus."
