http://www.ocregister.com/sports/bryant-222740-play-thing.html December 07, 2009 8:59 AM How long will Kobe play for Lakers? By KEVIN DING THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER kding@ocregister.com LOS ANGELES In our front-page feature story on Kobe Bryant entering this season, he made a reference to playing longer than people might think – and even mentioned John Stockton, a fellow guard who didn't retire until 41. Bryant has in subsequent interviews with other media outlets declined to speculate on how much longer he might play, so here's the transcript of his words back on Oct. 17, picking up with us talking about the public perception that he's on the decline at age 31 from all the ball he has played: KB: "I enjoy hearing, 'He's older and who knows how long he can go for.' That does add fuel to it a little bit." KD: "You have to understand, though, how the world bases its information on what has happened with most everyone else ... KB: "That has nothing to do with me. I'm not them. Like Michael (Jordan) wasn't supposed to be able to play at the age of 36. Stockton wasn't supposed to be still playing. At the time Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) was the only guy to be able to play till 40, and they said only big guys can do it – and then John Stockton did it. So it's all in how you take care of your body, and ever since I was young I was very meticulous about taking care of my body and I stayed on it and tried to be healthy. And I think because of that, I feel a lot better now. You run into problems where guys figure it out a little too late, and they try to catch on – and that doesn't work. KD: "Andrew (Bynum) was just saying to me last month, 'This year, I'm going to start watching what Kobe and Fish (Derek Fisher) do.' " KB: "Yeah, I've been trying to tell him: You've got to start that right now if you want to have longevity in your career. You've got to pay attention to that now." KD: "Tim Duncan says his knees hurt all the time." KB: "That's crazy. What, he's 33? I'm 31. I feel better now than I've felt since I was 26-27." KD: "That's something. But you must embrace that whole thing on some level, the idea that people can't quite understand you, because you don't want to be the same as everybody else." KB: "I love it. I love it. It adds fuel to it, man. People measure you by what other players have done and the longevity of their careers and when they started to go on the decline and stuff like that. It adds fuel to the fire." KD: "So in your own mind, how much longer are you going to play?" KB: "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. We'll just keep on going and ride this thing till the wheels fall off." You can see the inference to be made: Bryant's sun isn't setting as soon as some think, even with this being his 14th NBA season. He's scoring 29 points per game, and his team is on a nine-game winning streak with the NBA's best record – so Bryant is obviously still getting it done. (Suns coach Alvin Gentry after losing to the Lakers on Sunday night: "We've played the other teams. I think they're the best team by far.") Physically, Bryant held up for every one of the Lakers' 227 games the past two-plus seasons. You see him hang in the air over Dwyane Wade to let go that last-second shot Friday night – yet it was as much mental to get that unlikely 3-point shot to drop and win the game. Bryant had to aim further right because he was drifting left – and shoot with deliberate bank to offset the lack of arc. He had to do all that calculating amid the pressure of the moment, turning some parts of his brain on while turning off others. "Even though it was a bank shot," Phil Jackson marveled, "he shot the ball with touch on it." The game savvy is a huge reason Bryant could play till he's 40 and stay a star. He's a con man with countless angles to play – guard or wing or post, shoot this way or fade that way, fake with the head and escape with the feet. He even – and this is perhaps the most amazing thing he has ever done – declined the ball in the post at one point Sunday night. Instead of continuously and vigorously calling for it, Bryant actually gestured while covered by a double-team blanket for teammate Pau Gasol to do the right thing and swing the ball away. (Gasol did reverse the ball, Bynum wound up with it in the other post, he drew the double team and passed to Fisher for the open 3-pointer. Thanks, Kobe.) The thing with Bryant that has driven Jackson and Tex Winter crazy in the past is that they knew Bryant knew the "right" thing, but he would only selectively do it (more often in the postseason). The fact that Bryant's game has grown so much over the years is a testament to his willful experimentation for different challenges, but more and more often now he can "settle" for the easiest, most efficient play for himself and teammates. It's why Bryant just needs to make sure his body doesn't betray him. For the first time this season, he wore a small sleeve over his right knee Sunday night. He had surgery on that knee in 2003 and '06 and has had periodic tendinitis. But he also has medical or rehab specialists come to his house after games to get extended treatment instead of waiting till tomorrow or blowing it off entirely. Looking for yet another edge in body work, Bryant has started up a new mysterious training regimen at Staples Center after the past two Sunday night games. There are 42,120 NBA minutes on his odometer. Bryant can drive with his eyes closed by now. He pumps his own fuel, too. Which leaves, as he says, just the wheels. And they aren't falling off for a long, long time.
Kobe needs to learn a lesson from Jordan: if you love the competition that much, play until you can't play anymore, do not retire before your time because you'll just end up coming back.
Kobe is obsessed with basketball and doesn't enjoy baseball for that matter. I think he's gonna play until 38 at least barring major injury.
