Fittingly, two of the Lakers' most legendary figures, Kobe Bryant and Gary Vitti, are heading out at the same time.
In his 20-year career — which ends with Wednesday's game against Utah — Bryant had never known a trainer other than Vitti, who is retiring after a 32-year career that included eight championships.
Whether it was food poisoning in Sacramento or an ankle injury in Indiana, Vitti has mended Bryant over and over for the past two decades. At the end of both men's tenure, Bryant showed his thanks for Vitti by autographing a photo of the two of them walking through Oakland County International Airport after a road game against Detroit on Dec.