Kobe Bryant is leaving the Lakers and retiring basketball after this season. The 37-year-old joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1966 with the Charlotte Hornets. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s been with the Lakers for 20 years.

Kobe apparently has “17 NBA All-Star selections, NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals, and a relentless work ethic.” – NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Many Lakers fans were upset about his retirement but likely understand given the unusual amount of time Kobe has spent as a professional player. The average career for an NBA player is 4.8 years, making Bryant’s retirement more of an inevitability than a surprise.