Kobe Bryant officially played his final NBA game and effectively retired on April 13, 2016, after a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Quick Scoop: When did Kobe retire?

If you’re wondering “when did Kobe retire?” the key date is:

  • Final NBA game / on-court retirement: April 13, 2016 vs. Utah Jazz at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
  • Retirement announcement: He publicly announced he would retire at the end of the 2015–16 season on November 29, 2015 , in his “Dear Basketball” poem on The Players’ Tribune.
  • Age at retirement: He was 37 years old.

That last game became legendary because he dropped 60 points in a classic “Mamba” performance to close out his career.

Mini timeline

  1. 1996 – Kobe enters the NBA straight out of high school, joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
  1. November 29, 2015 – Releases the “Dear Basketball” poem, announcing this season will be his last.
  1. April 13, 2016 – Plays his final game, scores 60 points, and walks away as a Laker for life.

“This season is all I have left to give.” – Kobe Bryant, in Dear Basketball.

Quick fact table (HTML)

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Key detail Answer
When did Kobe retire (final game)? April 13, 2016
When did he announce retirement? November 29, 2015
Team he spent his whole career with Los Angeles Lakers
Age when he retired 37 years old
Points in his final game 60 points vs. Utah Jazz

A bit of story

Kobe didn’t just quietly fade out; he turned his farewell into a spectacle , pouring in 60 points in front of a roaring home crowd. Months earlier, his poetic “Dear Basketball” made it clear that his body was done even if his competitive fire wasn’t, giving fans time to savor every last game.

In hindsight, that 2015–16 season has become one of those “where were you when…” moments for NBA fans, with April 13, 2016 forever bookmarked as the night the Black Mamba hung them up.

TL;DR: Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA when he played his final game on April 13, 2016 , after announcing his retirement on November 29, 2015.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.