Kobe Bryant Talks Post-Retirement Plans on ‘Good Morning America’
By Eric Yee
The Kobe Bryant Farewell tour is currently in full effect, but it is interesting to ponder what comes next for The Black Mamba
Early Wednesday morning, Lakers star Kobe Bryant was on “Good Morning America” and was interviewed by Robin Roberts.
Currently in celebration mode, it may be tough for the Lakers and fans alike to imagine life without Kobe, but in this interview, he made it more than apparent that he’s already made plans for life after basketball.
When asked, “So, what is next for you,” he thoughtfully responded,
"That’s the hard part right because, you know, you have to figure out the next passion. It’s been a long process for me, in terms of figuring out what that is, but I’ve found it and I really enjoy story. . ."
Sorry to disappoint you Jordan Clarkson.
Jordan Clarkson on Kobe's post-basketball plans "You never know. He might come out with a phone or something crazy."
— Dan Woike (Click the pic ⬇️ to read) (@DanWoikeSports) November 30, 2015
If you were wondering what the gold, “HV,” logo was on the Kobe’s retirement letter, wonder no longer.
Hearing that new logo on Kobe's retirement letter might be for his new "Hero/Villain" campaign pic.twitter.com/Gb8CLBGJyy
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 30, 2015
Kobe explained:
"This Hero-Villain movement for us is the first thing I’m going to look at because I want to look at the experiences that I’ve had throughout my career, and taking some of these darker emotions — the rejection, the doubt, the fear, the anger — some of the things that tend to paralyze us as athletes, and really frame stories up to teach athletes how to, how to use those."
Further, he answered, “So, how are you seen as a hero, and how are you seen as a villain,”
"The true art of it is that I believe we’re all both, you can’t have one without the other. It’s all a matter of perspective. . .We’re all human, and we all make mistakes, and we all have moments of anger or frustration, and I think that’s what makes us, us… is the fact that we can be both, and we just hope that the “hero” side of us manifests itself more frequently than the villain."
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As a Lakers fan, it is interesting to catalog Bryant’s maturity process in regards to this very topic. So often, Kobe embraced his role as villain, not to the extent that Mike Tyson did, but early in his career, he really didn’t care what people thought about him.
Stories about Kobe’s anti-social behavior around the time of Shaq’s departure were well documented, so it is curious how much Kobe has embraced the press in his final seasons, essentially letting his inner “hero” take the forefront.
In regards to what types of stories he’ll be telling, he was vague, saying that there are various stories out there that deserve to be told, not solely his.
Robins snuck in a question about the 2016 Olympics and Kobe stuck to his story saying that he’d love one last opportunity to hang out with other stars, this time in a more “relaxed environment.”
Next: The Black Mamba Will Live On in An Atlanta Zoo
What other passions do you think Bryant will pursue in life after basketball? Let us know in the comments below.