Kobe Bryant to retire at end of season

The Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015-16 season via a letter poem on The Players' Tribune on Sunday afternoon.

"I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all From my mind & body, To my spirit & soul," In a piece titled "Dear Basketball," the 37-year-old Bryant wrote, "This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind but my body knows it's time to say goodbye. And that's OK. I'm ready to let you go."

"With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game. I join Kobe's millions of fans around the world in congratulating him on an outstanding NBA career and thank him for so many thrilling memories."

Kobe entered the NBA directly from high school. He was drafted out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in 1996 but was traded to the Lakers. He has played for the Lakers his entire career, winning five NBA championships.

Bryant is a 17-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team. He has led the league in scoring twice, and he ranks third on both the league's all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists. He's the only player to spend 20 consecutive seasons with the same team. Enditem