An ESPN commentator boldly expressed his opinion about Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant's retirement. In his morning sports talk program "First Take," Stephen A. Smith said it is time for the NBA star to retire.
Smith explained, "Even the great Kobe Bryant can't be great at age 37 with all of these obstacles joined, colluding with one another to bring him down. It is a damn shame that Kobe has to go out this way, but it is over."
According to Smith, there is nothing Bryant can do, especially in the Western Conference. He added that the long-time Los Angeles Lakers basketball star's skills have diminished.
For the "First Take" host, it is over for Bryant and it is time for him to retire. He added, "I don't think he should wait. I doubt he'll do it, but I think Kobe should retire right now."
Bryant has been playing for the Los Angeles Lakers since 1996 and has never played for any other NBA team. He won the NBA MVP award in 2008 and the NBA All-Star Game MVP award four times in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Aside from Bryant, the current roster of the Los Angeles Lakers include Nick Young, Metta World Peace, Louis Williams, Robert Sacre, D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Ryan Kelly, Marcelo Huertas, Roy Hibbert, Jordan Clarkson, Anthony Brown, Tarik Black and Brandon Bass.
Among the current Los Angeles Lakers players, Bryant receives the highest salary with $25 million followed by Hibbert with $15.5, Williams with $7 million, Young with $5.2 million, Russell with $5.1 million, Randle with $3.1 million, Bass with $3 million, Kelly with $1.7 million and Nance with $1.1 million. The salaries of the rest are lower than $1 million.