When asked whether he has considered retiring at the end of this season, one year before the end of his Lakers contract, Kobe Bryant nods his head in agreement.
"I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't crossed my mind,'' he tells The Times. "Right now I doubt it … but anything's possible.''
He emphasizes the right now because, right now, the reality is so muddled and difficult that even the Black Mamba is having trouble wrapping his mind around it.
"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 says.