I once saw Kobe Bryant walking on the beach.
He was near one of his homes in Orange County, or at least, local legend claimed he lived nearby. It was late afternoon on a summer day. The waves were big, as I recall, and the mist from the swell mixed with the glare from the sun made him glow like an angelic fawn in a mystic meadow. He walked with his daughter, whom he absolutely towered over. (Kobe’s only 6’6″, which is relatively short for the NBA). As I walked passed, mouth agape, surfboard in hand, they kept their stride. Laughing. Completely oblivious to their surroundings.
This year marks an end to Kobe’s record-breaking, hairdo-changing, lawsuit-enduring career of fabled excellence. It’s finally coming to a close. And Angelenos and lowrider aficionados everywhere are deeply bummed. But for Kobe himself, he must be stoked. After a lifetime in a jersey, he now has time to do anything and everything he always wanted to do but couldn’t because of the game.
You might be surprised what he has planned.
On Wednesday Kobe called in for an interview on SiriusXM NBA radio with Jared Greenberg and former teammate Rick Fox. They talked about his retirement plans. Most would expect him to travel, spend time with his family, maybe coach one day…but Kobe has other things on his mind.
“I’m looking forward to skiing a little bit,” Bryant said. “I’ve never been skiing before. Maybe do a little surfing, maybe. Maybe a little skydiving.”
Perhaps one day I’ll see the Black Mamba on that same beach again. This time wearing a wetsuit, not a tracksuit. And he’ll be absolutely ripping.
