Dear Basketball

[soft piano melody]

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.

I loved so deep, I gave you my all.

From my mind and body 
to my spirit and 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.

"Welcome to The Kobe's Show!"

"...Kobe Bryant from Lower Merion 
High School in Pennsylvania."

"I was a Laker die-hard fan".

"It's Kobe Bryant!"

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

"What have I just seen?"

"Hard to believe!"

"Unreal! Are you kidding me?"

You gave a six-year-old boy 
his Laker strain

and I'll always love you for it.

But I can't love you obsessively 
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 okay.
I'm ready to let 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.

"Ohhhh..."
[crowd in outburst]

"It is a purple and gold coronation."

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

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

who has done it all wearing
purple and gold."

"Mamba still has venom in those fangs."

"Yeah, Michael got 6
but Kobe got 5."

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

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

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

"Kobe Bryant is the best player
in the world."

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

the greatest basketball player that
has ever been."

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

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

the 2008 MVP,

two-time NBA finals MVP,

five- time NBA champion,

a 6'6" guard from 
Lower Merion High School,

number 24,

KOBE BRYANT."

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,

five seconds on the clock,
ball in my hand.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

Heroes come and go,
"but legends are forever."