Kobe Bryant sounds at peace with his decision to retire

Kobe Bryant spoke to reporters about his decision to retire following the 2015-16 NBA season after the Los Angeles Lakers 107-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Bryant announced his retirement in a poem on the Player's Tribune on Sunday afternoon, and fans in attendance at the Lakers' game that night received a personal letter from Bryant thanking them for helping him grow into the person and player he is today.

When speaking to reporters after the game Bryant, channeling his former head coach Phil Jackson, seemed very Zen about his decision. "It's a natural progression of growth & maturation," Bryant said (as transcribed by Serena Winters of Lakers Nation). "There's no sadness in that... "I see the beauty in not being able to blow past defenders anymore, you know what I mean?" In full Jackson form, Bryant even spoke about an old Jackson mainstay, meditation, and how a change in his thought process during those sessions helped him decide to retire:

Bryant said that when sitting in meditation, his mind always, always drifted to basketball. But at long last, that isn't the case anymore.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 30, 2015

As calm as he came off, Bryant did admit "if I said I wasn't getting a little emotional about it, I'd be lying. It's a little different when you know internally, 'This is it.'" He also spoke about his last time playing in his hometown of Philadelphia like the storyteller he wants to become:

When asked in English what it was going to be like to go to Philly on Tuesday, Kobe Bryant said, "It's going to be beautiful."

— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) November 30, 2015

Bryant's favorite moment of his long an storied career may surprise some who assumed it would be one of his much coveted championships. Not so, says Bryant:

Kobe was asked for a favorite moment in his career: "Nothing beats getting drafted."

— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) November 30, 2015

Bryant also shared the advice about his final season given to him by the shooting guard Paul George compared him to on Sunday night:

Kobe on MJ "He's actually one fo the first people that I told over the summer." What did Kobe say? "This is it." MJ: "Just enjoy it."

— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) November 30, 2015

You can watch the full video of the press conference here, and here is a happy shot to end on, of a smiling Bryant leaving Staples Center hand in hand with his family, seemingly fully at peace with his decision to call it a career after 20 seasons:

Kobe Bryant walking out of Staples Center with his family after tonight's press conference. pic.twitter.com/JnccfPAYOk

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) November 30, 2015