Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Convinced Fellow Hall of Famer to ‘Accept Retirement’

The Black Mamba seemed surprisingly comfortable in his post-playing career life.

Feb. 9, 2024; Los Angeles, Calif.; The Los Angeles Lakers unveil a statue to the public honoring Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant at Crypto.com Arena. Bryant won five NBA championships and played all twenty of his NBA seasons with the franchise. Bryant died in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna in January 2020. Mandatory Credit: Sandy Hooper-USA TODAY / Sandy Hooper-USA TODAY

Eight-time All-Star swingman Vince Carter, an inductee into this year's Naismith Hall of Fame class, numbered among that first wave of "Next Jordan" contenders — along with Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant, All-Star Jerry Stackhouse, and more.

During a remarkably candid interview with Bleacher Report/TNT's Taylor Rooks, Carter spoke at length about his relationship Bryant — and how a conversation during a midseason game as he bid a fond farewell to the NBA as a player during a record 22nd season inspired Carter to finally get comfortable with stepping away.

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"So my last year, I did announce that it was my last year. Didn't announce that I was 'retiring,' because I struggled with the word 'retiring,'" Carter said. "We play the Nets in Brooklyn. Kobe and [daughter] Gigi are at that game."

"Knowing Kobe and his approach, and how he was, how he approached the game," Carter offered. "He didn't have a lot of friends and he didn't care. We were cool, then throughout our years we kind of went at it. Kobe and I were about to go have a fist fight [after games]."

"[To see] him and to see the smile on his face, the hug, the conversation that we had was unbelievable," Carter continued. "I asked him about that word, 'How is it?'"

"He's like, 'Man, it is the greatest thing ever, it's the best feeling. You're gonna enjoy it. This side is not that bad 'cause I get a chance now to coach my daughter, be there for her, so on and so forth.' And I'm like, 'If Kobe Bryant, whom we all know... to be an a-hole [on the court] and a degenerate of this game, can say that to me, I can say, 'I'm retiring.' And from that day forth, he and that conversation gave me the opportunity [to get more comfortable with the concept]."

Carter, a two-time All-NBA honoree, finished with 1,541 career regular season games, averaging 16.7 points on .435/.371/.798 shooting splits, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, one steal and 0.6 blocks. He also suited up for 88 career playoff bouts (66 starts).

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