In recent weeks many of the NBA's top players have dropped out of the Rio Olympics this summer in Brazil, leaving the door open for people to wonder if Kobe Bryant will join the USA Olympic team for one last sendoff in Rio. That door was slammed shut today when a source close to Kobe said he will not play in the Rio Olympics, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (h/t Grant Goldberg of Lakers Outsiders).
It would be gratifying for Kobe to finish off his basketball career winning an Olympic gold medal rather than a 17-65 season, but having said that, maybe not even a gold medal can beat his 60-point performance in-front of adoring Lakers fans in Los Angeles.