Kobe Bryant Announces Retirement: Relive Some of the Top Moments From His Career
"The game will never be the same!" one player wrote on Twitter.
— -- Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant announced his retirement Sunday, saying this season -- his 20th in the NBA -- will be his last.
The NBA legend made the announcement hours before Sunday's game, writing in a poem: "This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say goodbye."
The Philadelphia native dominated the sport for two decades, entering the NBA directly from high school and playing for the Lakers for 20 years -- his entire career.
Kobe's accomplishments speak for themselves: He won five NBA titles, was a 17-time All Star and earned two Olympic gold medals.
Here are some of his best performances, according to ESPN NBA reporters:
1. In Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, Kobe's iconic alley-oop to Shaquille O'Neal sealed the win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
2. Then in the 2000 NBA Finals, Shaq fouled out towards the end of the game, and Kobe stepped up, bringing the Lakers a crucial Game 4 win.
3. In December 2005, Kobe scored a career-high 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks -- just a month before his historic 81-point game. He then sat out the entire fourth quarter.
4. In the 2006 playoffs, Kobe's buzzer beater against the Phoenix Suns gave the Lakers a 3-1 series lead.
5. And of course, in January 2006, Kobe achieved an 81-point game -- the second-most points scored by an individual player in NBA history.
Watch Robin Roberts’ exclusive interview with Kobe Bryant on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday.
As Kobe's career comes to a close, here's what other NBA players have to say: