Kobe Bryant dan Dirk Nowitzki semasa masih berkarier di NBA. Twitter/@yahoosports
Dear Basketball,
From the moment / I started rolling my dad’s tube socks / And shooting imaginary / Game-winning shots / In the Great Western Forum / 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 hear / 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