With Kobe Bryant’s impending retirement, fans and media alike are curious to know what is next for the five-time NBA champion. The Lakers great has been brigaded with questions about his life after basketball, but he has been cryptic with his responses thus far.
For years, many people assumed that Kobe would play a year or two in Italy after he retires from the NBA, but he put an end to that rumor when he was asked about it on Sunday.
Another possibility for Kobe post-retirement is becoming an owner of an NBA franchise. According to Lakers.com reporter Mike Trudell, Kobe may be open to that possibility in the future:
Kobe asked if ownership of an NBA team is in his future. “I don’t know,” he said. But he didn’t rule it out, said it’s possible.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 1, 2015
This is an intriguing possibility for Kobe because it would allow him to stay involved in the NBA like many greats tend to do. Magic Johnson had an ownership stake in the Lakers and Michael Jordan is a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, so it would make sense for Kobe Bryant to join the club and become a part-owner of a team.
Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reported that Lakers President Jeanie Buss is open to the possibility of Kobe joining the Lakers front office:
Jeanie Buss on TWC says she "would talk to (Kobe) about" being part of organization going forward "if that's something that interests him"
— Bill Oram (@billoram) December 1, 2015
It is yet to be seen whether Kobe is truly interested in owning a team, but he has made it clear that he wants to build his new company, Kobe Inc. Kobe’s goal is to build his company into a lucrative business over the years.
Lakers fans all over the world would be excited about having Kobe joining the front office in the near future and staying involved with the franchise for years to come. With 63 games remaining in the season, Kobe will have plenty of time to think about what he will do after his basketball career comes to an end.