Kobe Bryant is about to embark on his 20th season of his career and his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, are celebrating it by plastering him all over the cover of their media guide.
As reported by Sports Illustrated, the inside of the Lakers' 2015-2016 media guide is an all-inclusive edition and an ode to the man who brought them five NBA championships. In the cover, you will see 20 pictures of some of Kobe's most important career milestones.
This move by the Lakers was attributed to speculations that this may be Kobe's last season not only as a Laker but as an NBA player.
In a related report by the Business Insider, the Lakers are also building a team that is both competitive enough for Kobe, while also being able to withstand his departure in the future.
In fact, some pundits even think that the Los Angeles Lakers would even be better without Bryant, who his critics see as a load on his team's back due to his huge contract.
However, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has publicly insisted time and time again that their prized player is on board with the plan, but he also hinted that Bryan has a the tendency to takeover when he thinks that he can do a better job than the rest of the team.
According to Kupchak, "I don't think it will be any different than it has been in years past. [Bryant will] be 100 percent on board with the game plan, and he'll be patient, as patient as he can be,"
He added, "But there will be a point where if things aren't going the way that he feels they should be going or the players aren't producing, his instincts will kick in, and I'm sure he'll try to do as much as possible."
What's more, some critics are saying that it's odd that the team is already celebrating his "last season" when even Kobe himself gave no clear indication regarding his retirement.
Add to the fact that Bleacher Report noted that Bryant is currently nursing a minor injury. According to reports, Bryant suffered a left leg contusion during the match against the Sacramento Kings and since then, he has yet to get back on the court.
Fortunately for the Lakers, other players such as Marcelo Huertas and Julius Randle was enough to provide the much needed fire power that Bryant usually provides.
Catch the Los Angeles Lakers season opener when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28.
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