The mainstream media and social media has been buzzing about the announced retirement of Kobe Bryant. After 20 years of NBA highlights, the Black Mamba finally decided that it's his time to raise the white flag. But Kobe's mind and heart never surrendered, but it's his body that did.
With two decades of becoming an inspiration and a being a legend inside the court, Kobe has touched more than a thousand lives globally. Fans and experts alike, and even opponents of him are thankful for his contribution to one of the world's most famous sport basketball. Similar to Michael Jordan and the rest of the legends, Kobe Bryant will forever be remembered by the NBA.
Bryant delivered his retirement to the fans via a letter or poem. The literary piece were carefully woven in order to express the heart and soul of Kobe and his true feelings the sport that he loved most. However, the poem which was published at The Players' Tribune is now being questioned of its uniqueness and originality. According to yardbarker, "Kobe's poem is very similar to the love letter to basketball Michael Jordan wrote when he retired from the game in 2003."
Now here below are some of the part of the poem which yardbacker believed to be similar to the one that Jordan had made and was published in The Washington Post, The New York Times and the LA Times.
MJ:
Dear basketball, it's been 28 years since I saw you in the back of our garage. 28 years since our parents introduced us."
Kobe:
Dear Basketball,
From the moment
I started rolling my dad's tube socks
...
As a six-year-old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never saw the end of the tunnel.
--
MJ:
So I practiced. I hustled. I worked on my game. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting. Thinking.
I ran. I did sit-ups. I did push-ups. I did pull-ups. I lifted weights. I studied you.
I began to fall in love and you noticed.
Kobe:
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.
--
MJ:
I love you, Basketball. I love everything about you and I always will.
Kobe:
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I'll always love you for it.
However, despite the said similarities of their thoughts, it cannot be denied that Kobe was very authentic when he was writing this. There might have been some similarities but it might be due to the fact that both players are great and both players had similar experiences with basketball.
