Dear Basketball,
亲爱的篮球：
From the moment I started rolling my dad's tube socks
自第一次穿上老爸的筒袜
And shooting imaginary game-winning shots in the Great Western Forum
想象自己在大西部论坛球馆投进制胜球
I knew one thing was real: I fell in love with you
我便确信：我深深地爱上你了
A love so deep I gave you my all --
爱你，故愿为你倾其所有--
From my mind and body
从我的心灵到我的身体
to my spirit and soul
从我的精神到我的灵魂
As a six-year-old boy, deeply in love with you
那六岁的男孩，深深地爱着你
I never saw the end of the tunnel
却从未想过这段旅程结束时的样子
I only saw myself running out of one
只见自己不停奔跑的身影
And so I ran
所以我不停地奔跑
I ran up and down every court
我来回奔跑于每个球场
After every loose ball for you
为你去追逐每一个争抢球
You asked for my hustle
你让我尽力拼搏
I gave you my heart
我便奉上我的心
Because it came with so much more
因为这需要的不仅仅是尽力
I played through the sweat and hurt
我打球流尽血汗，落下一身伤病
Not because challenge called me
不是因为“挑战”呼唤我
But because YOU called me
而是你呼唤我
I did everything for YOU
我所做的一切都是为了你

Because that's what you do when someone makes you feel as alive as you've made me feel
若有人赋予你生命，正如你赋予我活力，你亦会为其全力以赴
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
你给了一个六岁男孩湖人梦
And I'll always love you for it
为此我将永远爱你
But I can't love you obsessively for much longer
但我再也无法继续这般迷恋你了
This season is all I have left to give
这个赛季已是我所能给的仅有
My heart can take the pounding
我的心还能承受住打击
My mind can handle the grind
我的意志还能经受磨难
But my body knows it's time to say goodbye
但我的身体知道：是时候说再见了
And that's OK
这无妨
I'm ready to let you go
我已经准备好了放手
I want you to know now so we both can savor every moment we have left together
我希望你现在就明白，如此我们便可一起尽情享受余下的每一刻时光
The good and the bad
不论欢喜，还是悲伤
We have given each other all that we have
我们已经给了彼此能给的所有
And we both know, no matter what I do next
我们都知道，不管我接下来会去做什么
I'll always be that kid
我都还会是那个孩子
With the rolled up socks
穿着筒袜
Garbage can in the corner
瞄准墙角的垃圾筒
5 seconds on the clock, ball in my hands. 5,4,3,2,1
手捧篮球，倒计时5秒。5，4，3，2，1。
Love you always
爱你，至死不渝
Kobe
科比