Kobe Bryant picks Lakers over Team USA
Kobe Bryant has ruled himself out of contention for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, saying he wants his last game to be played in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform.
Bryant had previously said he would be interested in representing America one last time before he retired, but has now ruled out any chance of playing for Team USA in Rio.
The Lakers legend said he felt he had already had his time with the team and it was the right time to pass on the baton to a younger generation.
“I think it will be pretty sweet to play my last game in a Lakers uniform,” Bryant told reporters in Utah.
“I think it’s the young guys’ turn to go and play and perform.
“I’ve had my moment.”
Bryant is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, having been a part of the Team USA that took out gold in Beijing in 2008 and again four years later in London.
The NBA hall of famer and 17-time All Star will retire at the conclusion of the current season, drawing the curtain on a career that has procured five NBA championships and one NBA MVP award.
