According to a post at The Atlantic, “Bryant, known by the moniker he gave himself, the Black Mamba, and the Lakers face off against the Utah Jazz at home to end the season. He announced his retirement in a poem last November, in part writing, “My heart can take the pounding / My mind can handle the grind / But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.”
The post also stated, “Bryant leaves a big mark on the NBA, and basketball in general. Beyond his two Finals MVPs and 33,583 points, he’s also a two-time Olympic gold medal winner for the United States. Magic Johnson, another Lakers legend, in a letter said Bryant changed the game of basketball along with other greats like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.”
Robert Covington, Tennessee State University (TSU) alum, saluted Kobe via Facebook. He wrote, “It’s #mambaday to pay tribute to a great in his last hooray. Had the opportunity to go against him, then to gain knowledge from him to tell me he respects my game and I have a bright future in this league meant a lot. #thank you.”
Covington, who graduated from TSU in 2013, finished his career ranked seventh on Tennessee State’s all-time list in scoring and rebounding.
