Instant Alert: 20 photos that celebrate Kobe Bryant's legacy as one of the greatest basketball players in history

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   20 photos that celebrate Kobe Bryant's legacy as one of the greatest basketball players in history by Jack Sommer on Nov 30, 2015, 4:03 PM Advertisement Without a doubt, Kobe Bryant will go down as one of the top athletes to ever play the game of basketball. After 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, he's won five NBA championships, an MVP trophy, and has been selected as an All-Star 17 times. He's currently the third-highest scoring player in history.  Bryant announced his retirement in a piece on The Players' Tribune Sunday night. "My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say goodbye. And that's OK," Bryant wrote in his farewell letter to basketball. "I'm ready to let you go." According to ticket price tracker TiqIQ, ticket prices for the final game of the Lakers' regular season have already nearly tripled to $1,388.60 since the retirement news broke. Scroll below to see a selection of photos highlighting Bryant's career. SEE ALSO: 22 examples of Kobe Bryant's insane work ethic When he entered the league in 1996, 18-year-old Bryant was the youngest man to ever play in an NBA game. He also became the youngest winner of the Slam Dunk Contest that same season. Alongside his teammate Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant won his first NBA championship in 2000. Bryant battled it out with Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers in the following year's NBA Finals, but the Lakers once again emerged victorious to win their second consecutive title in 2001. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011