Kobe Bryant Speaks About Retirement, Says Next Season Might Be Last

Speculation has circled the possibility of Kobe Bryant's 20th NBA season being his last for months, but he provided a bit of clarity during an interview with ESPN's Jemele Hill at the BET Experience Saturday night.  

According to the Orange County Register's Janis Carr and ESPN's Baxter Holmes, Bryant opened up regarding the possibility of closing out his career after two decades in purple and gold: 

Bryant's sentiment backs up what Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a SiriusXM NBA Radio appearance back on May 22 (via Holmes).

"He has indicated to me that this is it," Kupchak said.  

Bryant responded at the time by tweeting the following: 

After appearing in just six games during the 2013-14 season, following extensive recovery from a torn Achilles before suffering a fractured left knee, Bryant played in 35 games this past season before a rotator cuff tear cut his comeback campaign short. 

Bryant is scheduled to earn a league-high $25 million during the 2015-16 season before his contract expires, according to Basketball Insiders. 

"I think it is clear," Kupchak said, per Holmes. "He's on the last year of his deal. There have been no discussions [about playing beyond next season]. He hasn't indicated that he wants to continue to play."

If this is, in fact, Bryant's last year, he'll help operate as a bridge between an old era and one that's just getting started. With No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell in tow, a promising future lies ahead for one of the NBA's most distinguished franchises—even if Kobe won't be scorching the net for much longer.