Kobe Bryant Retiring? Says 'Body is Hurting Like Crazy'

Rumors have it that Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant is just about ready to hang up his jersey for good and retire from the game, but the player himself admitted that while he doesn't think it will happen now, anything is possible, Hollywood Life reported.

The 16-time All Star player isn't new to retirement rumors, and having been part of the NBA since 1996 would no doubt take its toll in even the most talented of players. Bryant, already 36 years old, talked about the idea of retiring and his future plans.

Bryant opened up about it during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. When asked if he ever thought about finally bowing out at the end of the season one year before his contract with the Lakers ends, the player nodded in reply.

He shared, "I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't crossed my mind. Right now I doubt it, but anything's possible."

The writers from Times noted Bryant's emphasis of "right now," and according to them, it seemed even the present is "muddled and difficult" for the basketball superstar.

"My body is hurting like crazy, around the clock, and if I don't want to do this anymore, I won't do it," he added. "I'm still enjoying it, but it's hard."

He also said that it wasn't about the money, even though retirement would end up costing him up to $25million. He said, "I don't care about the money. If I don't feel like doing it, I won't do it."

Bryant's Achilles tendon injury and the Lakers' rather disappointing performance this season further fuel speculations that the player is thinking about retirement, according to SB Nation.

Bryant has played only six games so far after rupturing his Achilles and 34 out of the 41 games this season. His performance has also wavered compared to when he used to average 35.4 points per game and now coming up at only 22.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 34. 6 minutes, the report added.

This season, the Lakers are up 12-29, the second-worst record in the Western Conference, which is a far cry from their previous performances and championship wins, SB Nation continued.

While fans and admirers are confused, it seems no one is as confused as Bryant himself, as he told Times that he was still thinking things through.

"I love figuring stuff out. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. I don't know if I'm going to play an extra year, but while I'm playing, I want to be able to figure this stuff out," he concluded.