If it seems like just yesterday that a 23-year-old Kobe Bryant was winning his third NBA championship, that probably means you are getting kind of old. The Black Mamba officially turned 40 on Thursday.
Kobe has been out of the NBA for two seasons now, but he would probably still be playing at a high level if he didn’t have such bad luck with injuries. He’s one of the most recognizable and respected people in professional sports history, and that showed with all the birthday tributes he received on Twitter.
It's Mamba Day! Happy Birthday to @kobebryant. #Kobe40 pic.twitter.com/GmGhQA2tk9
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 23, 2018
The Black Mamba turns 40 today.
Happy Birthday, @kobebryant! pic.twitter.com/AFeHaYlKNv
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 23, 2018
Happy birthday, @kobebryant!
When will we see you back here in Milan?
Remember, #ANewMilan is waiting for you #Kobe40 pic.twitter.com/MeX69qfn7K— AC Milan (@acmilan) August 23, 2018
Here's hoping @kobebryant gets his pick of the snacks on his 40th birthday. #ThisIsSportsCenter pic.twitter.com/JiRmFxkX1R
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 23, 2018
happy birthday to esteemed charlotte hornet kobe bryant pic.twitter.com/UqanJmbl24
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 23, 2018
Happy 40th birthday to the 5x NBA Champion, 18x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Finals MVP, and 2x Olympic Gold medalist @KobeBryant! pic.twitter.com/r0wz714w87
— MayweatherPromotions (@MayweatherPromo) August 23, 2018
Happy 40th birthday to Kobe Bryant.
Let's look back to when the Black Mamba dominated the high school scene. pic.twitter.com/5ZYFuoNJz4
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 23, 2018
Lamar Odom showing love for Kobe on his born day pic.twitter.com/ABUFdQMt7X
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) August 23, 2018
.@DwyaneWade shares what @kobebryant meant to his career pic.twitter.com/9IkxzMw6zu
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 22, 2018
“I don’t think words can explain what Kobe Bryant meant to the game of basketball.”
Current NBA players pay tribute to the Black Mamba pic.twitter.com/OifHCsPnzP
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 23, 2018
There have been rumors that Kobe could find his way back onto the court, but that seems unlikely to happen. For now, he should probably just enjoy being 40 years young and one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball.
