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

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.