Retiring Lakers star Kobe Bryant met with the media prior to Los Angeles' game with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday (1st December) at the Wells Fargo Center.

SOUNDBITE (English): Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Guard

(On the timing of announcing his retirement)

"That was kind of the cherry on top. Once I knew for sure this is what I wanted to do, when I looked at the schedule, I says I can't, I want to announce it and then have the first game be on the road. I wanted to do it at home in front of the (Los Angeles) Lakers fans and so forth. I looked at the schedule, I was like I can't wait two weeks. I'm not the most patient man in the world still and when I had my mind made up I said, I don't want to go on a road trip and wait two weeks and have to stand in front of you guys and lie about having my mind made up. But the fact that the first road game is here in Philadelphia was really just the icing on the cake."

SOUNDBITE (English): Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Guard

(On being back in Philadelphia)

"It such a beautiful thing. I mean just driving around last night and going to different, all the parks I use to play (in), just kind of driving by there and seeing so many familiar faces. And just kind of thinking about how fast time went and just very appreciative and very thankful for everyone, those you supported, those who didn't. It was all just part of the entire journey, so."

SOUNDBITE (English): Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Guard

(On his dreams of becoming a player on the Philadelphia 76ers)

"Honestly man, in high school I always hoped to be a 6er (Philadelphia 76er). I was hoping that but at the time (Allen) Iverson was such a force but it was always a dream of mine to play in Philadelphia. And once that didn't happen, my childhood ambitions of being a Los Angeles Laker was this is actually a reality. This is going to actually happen. And once I became a (Los Angeles) Laker, I was never ever going to look back. But in high school I was like, Philadelphia is struggling, might be a chance that I play for the 6ers ((Philadelphia 76ers). But it never happened so I had to settle for my childhood dreams and be a (Los Angeles) Laker."