Kobe Bryant says he’s not one for farewell tours. But by Bryant’s own admission, the end of a legendary career could be coming sooner than later.
科比·布莱恩特说，自己不是那种想要一场接着一场巡回告别的人，但他承认，自己的传奇篮球生涯迟早都会结束。
The Los Angeles Lakers are in New York to face the Knicks in what is potentially Bryant’s last game at Madison Square Garden. At Saturday’s shootaround, the future Hall of Famer addressed the media and admitted there are times when he questions whether he wants to continue playing basketball. And on the day in question, the answer was probably not:
洛杉矶湖人队正在纽约对战尼克队，这可能是布莱恩在麦迪逊广场花园的最后一次比赛了。周六的投篮训练中，这位即将入驻名人堂的球星告诉媒体，他曾经多次考虑要不要继续打球。但他的答案可能是——不再打球。
“If you asked me today, this would be my last year. But you never know,” said Bryant, who is in the final year of his deal with the Lakers. “We’ll keep it open. Whatever happens, happens.”
“如果你今天问我，我会回答说这可能是我职业生涯中的最后一年。但谁知道呢，”布莱恩说。他跟湖人队的合约今年即将到期。“我们不会过早下结论，顺其自然吧。”
“The crowds, the chanting, people wanting to see me play – I’m extremely, extremely appreciative of that, I understand what that means. Listen, my personality isn’t the rocking chair kind of thing, but the chanting of my name means enough to me.”
“球迷们、尖叫声，人们希望看到我继续打球——真的很谢谢大家。我知道这意味着什么。我不是那种渴望颐养天年的性格，不过听到球场上球迷们高呼我的名字已经足够。”
At 37 years old and coming off of multiple injuries, Bryant acknowledged that recovering from a previous night’s game is an all-day process for him. There’s stretching and ice and massages and muscle stimulation and in-depth treatments where necessary. But, Bryant said, “If I wanted to keep playing, I could figure it out. ”
今年37岁的布莱恩伤病不断。他坦白，之前一场比赛中的伤病要用一整天的时间才能恢复。某些受伤部位需要拉伸、冰敷、按摩、肌肉刺激甚至深部处理。但布莱恩也说，“如果我想继续打球，我会想明白的。”
科比在微博上发表了退役声明：
Dear Basketball,
From the moment
I started rolling my dad’s tube socks
And shooting imaginary
Game-winning shots
In the Great Western Forum
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body
To my spirit & soul.
As a six-year-old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never saw the end of the tunnel.
I only saw myself
Running out of one.
And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court
After every loose ball for you.
You asked for my hustle
I gave you my heart
Because it came with so much more.
I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me
But because YOU called me.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
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.
And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the rolled up socks
Garbage can in the corner
:05 seconds on the clock
Ball in my hands.
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
Love you always,
Kobe
大意如下：
致我最爱的篮球——
小时候
我穿着爸爸的直筒袜，
想象着
在西部大论坛球馆
投球获胜的样子
当时我就真切的知晓：
我爱上了你
倾其所有地爱上了你
我给你我的心灵和身体
给你我的精神和灵魂
六岁的我
深深爱上了你
我未曾想过结果
只是执着地
不断前进
不断奋斗
我在篮球场挥洒汗水
只为争取得到你
你告诉我要动作敏捷
我将自己的一切全心全意献给你
因为你给予我的太多
我在汗水伤痛中坚持着
并非因为我想挑战自己
而是因为你在召唤我
我的一切只为你
因为你即是如此
你被赋予了生命，
正如你赋予我生命
你成就了一个六岁孩童的湖人梦
至此我永远爱你
但我无法继续迷恋你
我的心能够承受打击
我的意志能够战胜煎熬
但我的身体知道，该说再见了
很好
我决定放手
现在我想让你知晓
这样我们便可珍惜剩下的时光
我们都曾带给对方
甜蜜和痛楚
我们共同拥有
你我都明白，不管今后我做什么
我依旧是那个
穿着老爸的直筒袜
瞄准角落里的垃圾罐
离进攻时间还有0.05秒
手中握着篮球
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
永远爱你的，
科比
