Kobe Bryant introduced his retirement on the finish of the NBA season via the online and social media — not by press convention. Positive, Twitter retirement bulletins aren’t a brand new factor: Shaq did so in 2011, to not point out David Ortiz and Steve Nash. It wasn’t a totally Twitter-particular announcement. He linked to his farewell message / poem in full on The Gamers’ Tribune (a website launched by fellow former-athlete Derek Jeter). The location, which permits professional athletes to self-publish (and say what they need to), meant Bryant will get to say his piece — though it isn’t particular That stated, it is already been retweeted over 70,000 occasions, and half an hour later, the NBA adopted up itself on Twitter. The response was so robust that Jeter’s website crashed beneath the pressure. It is again on-line now, so if you would like to see a portrait of Bryant whispering his farewell sonnet right into a basketball, this is the place to go.

Pricey Basketball: https://t.co/KDecft6BO2 #KB20

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 29, 2015