Because Kobe Bryant poured everything he had into playing 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers, many questioned how he would handle retirement. There was a widely held belief that the five-time champion would face the same struggle other former athletes did.
After all, both Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, two of Bryant’s favorite athletes and idols, came out of retirement; with Jordan doing so twice. However, Bryant thus far has been unwavering in his stance of never playing again.
So much so that he isn’t even interested in holding an official title in the Lakers front office.