Kobe: Basketball 'not wired into my subconscious the way it used to be'
Kobe Bryant said it wasn't jacking up air balls or mounting losses and injuries that led him to announce his retirement at season's end on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard told Good Morning America's Robin Roberts his decision to retire was based largely on a morning ritual where he sits quietly, almost in a meditative state. The former NBA MVP and 17-time all-star said his mind would "always" focus on basketball, at least until recently.
"My mind wouldn't drift towards the game all the time anymore," Bryant said. "And that's when I started realizing, 'You know what? It's getting close. It's getting close.' Because now I'm not obsessively thinking about the game anymore. It's not wired into my subconscious the way it used to be."
Bryant, 37, spoke with Roberts before Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers beat the Lakers 103-91, for their first win of the season. Part 1 of the interview aired Wednesday morning with the second half slated to run Thursday.
“It’s the right time,” Bryant said. “There’s no point to in belaboring it or dragging it out or leave the door open in (hopes) something may change. I knew this was it.”
As for the criticism he’s faced for not retiring immediately, Bryant sloughed it off.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bryant said. “You can’t sit around and expect everybody to give you praise all the time. You have to be able to take the good and the bad.”
Bryant didn’t bite when asked by Roberts if he’d beat Michael Jordan one-on-one.
“He would win some,” Bryant said. “I would win some.”
Roberts asked what came to mind on a few names and topics, including Shaquille O'Neal ("big brother"), Team USA and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski ("leader"), former Lakers coach and current Knicks executive Phil Jackson ("sensei") and his five NBA titles ("should have been seven").