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Dear Basketball

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[soft piano melody]

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From the moment I started rolling [br]my Dad's tube socks

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and shooting imaginary game-winning shots[br]in the Great Western Forum,

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I knew one thing was real:[br]I fell in love with you.

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I loved so deep, I gave you my all.

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From my mind and body [br]to my spirit and soul.

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As a six-year-old boy deeply [br]in love with you,

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I never saw the end of the tunnel.

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I only saw myself running out of one.

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And so I ran.

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I ran up and down every court[br]after every loose ball.

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For you.

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You asked for my hustle.[br]I gave you my heart.

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Because it came with so much more.

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I played through the sweat and hurt[br]not because challenge called me

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but because YOU called me.

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I did everything for you because[br]that's what you do

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when someone makes you feel [br]as alive as you've made me feel.

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"Welcome to The Kobe's Show!"

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"...Kobe Bryant from Lower Merion [br]High School in Pennsylvania."

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"I was a Laker die-hard fan".

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"It's Kobe Bryant!"

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"Look at his style, look at his rhythm, [br]check out the way he walks..."

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"What have I just seen?"

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"Hard to believe!"

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"Unreal! Are you kidding me?"

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You gave a six-year-old boy [br]his Laker strain

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and I'll always love you for it.

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But I can't love you obsessively [br]much longer.

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This season is all I have left to give.

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My heart can take the pounding.

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My mind can handle the grind.

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But my body knows it's time[br]to say goodbye.

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And that's okay.[br]I'm ready to let go.

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I want you to know now so we both can[br]savor every moment we have left together:

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the good and the bad.

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We have given each other all that we have.

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"Ohhhh..."[br][crowd in outburst]

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"It is a purple and gold coronation."

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"Kobe Bryant, to me, is the best[br]basketball player..."

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"One of the greatest players who have[br]ever played this game

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who has done it all wearing[br]purple and gold."

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"Mamba still has venom in those fangs."

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"Yeah, Michael got 6[br]but Kobe got 5."

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"He's the best player in the game."[br]"I wanna be just like him."

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"You know, he's... Michael Jordan."

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I rushed home after school[br]just to watch him play."

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"Kobe Bryant is the best player[br]in the world."

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"Kobe Bryant, at the end of the day,[br]will go down as

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the greatest basketball player that[br]has ever been."

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"Kobe Bryant is the closest thing[br]to Michael Jordan since Michael Jordan."

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"And the third highest scorer [br]in NBA's history,

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the 2008 MVP,

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two-time NBA finals MVP,

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five- time NBA champion,

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a 6'6" guard from [br]Lower Merion High School,

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number 24,

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KOBE BRYANT."

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And we both know no matter[br]what I do next,

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I'll always be that kid,

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with the rolled-up socks, [br]garbage can in the corner,

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five seconds on the clock,[br]ball in my hand.

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Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

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Heroes come and go,[br]"but legends are forever."