Change can be scary. For the Lakers, change is coming and it’s not going to be easy. Kobe Bryant has been wearing purple and gold for almost 20 years now and his career is sadly coming to an end.
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Next year, Bryant will be entering the final year of his contract. Although it remains unclear whether Bryant will retire next season, it will be interesting to see if his body will hold up.
After a couple of season ending injuries, it’s difficult to anticipate what Bryant will bring to the Lakers this season. According to Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report, even Mitch Kupchak doesn’t know what to expect from the future hall of famer:
What does Mitch Kupchak expect from Kobe Bryant this season? "I don't know..... Father Time is the enemy."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) May 24, 2015
These last few seasons have been a reminder that Bryant can’t endure an 82 season like he once did. His body is breaking down and that’s just something that happens naturally as you grow older. Bryant has thousands of minutes on that body and as he enters his 20th NBA season, you can only hope that Bryant is able to leave this game on his own terms.
No one beats Father Time, not even one of the greatest basketball players that ever lived. Bryant has the will power, but time is simply running out.