Dear Basketball
From the moment
I started rolling my dad’s tube socks
And shooting imaginary
Game-winning shots
In the Great Western Forum
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body
To my spirit & soul.
As a six-year-old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never saw the end of the tunnel.
I only saw myself
Running out of one.
And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court
After every loose ball for you.
You asked for my hustle
I gave you my heart
Because it came with so much more.
I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me
But because YOU called me.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a six-year-old boy his Lakerdream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This season is all I have left to give.
My heart can take the pounding
My mind can handle the grind
But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.
And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we haveleft together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the rolled up socks
Garbage can in the corner
:05 seconds on the clock
Ball in my hands.
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
Love you always,
Kobe
致我最爱的篮球——
小时候
我穿着爸爸的直筒袜，
想象着
在西部大论坛球馆
投球获胜的样子
当时我就真切的知晓：
我爱上了你
倾其所有地爱上了你
我给你我的心灵和身体
给你我的精神和灵魂
六岁的我
深深爱上了你
我未曾想过结果
只是执着地
不断前进
不断奋斗
我在篮球场挥洒汗水
只为争取得到你
你告诉我要动作敏捷
我将自己的一切全心全意献给你
因为你给予我的太多
我在汗水伤痛中坚持着
并非因为我想挑战自己
而是因为你在召唤我
我的一切只为你
因为你即是如此
你被赋予了生命，
正如你赋予我生命
你成就了一个六岁孩童的湖人梦
至此我永远爱你
但我无法继续迷恋你
我的心能够承受打击
我的意志能够战胜煎熬
但我的身体知道，该说再见了
很好
我决定放手
现在我想让你知晓
这样我们便可珍惜剩下的时光
我们都曾带给对方
甜蜜和痛楚
我们共同拥有
你我都明白，不管今后我做什么
我依旧是那个
穿着老爸的直筒袜
瞄准角落里的垃圾罐
离进攻时间还有0.05秒
手中握着篮球
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
永远爱你的，
科比
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