Kobe Bryant Uses Twitter (Not TV) To Break Retirement News

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Twitter Moments is very useful and is being increasingly used as a reliable source of news by many. This new media feature added a new feather to its cap when outgoing NBA star Kobe Bryant took to Twitter to announce his retirement instead of TV. On Sunday, Bryant posted his retirement poem simultaneously on Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter a platform for wider and instant reach

Bryant has 7.92 million followers, and he uses the platform quite often for interacting with other players and fans. What’s interesting to note is that he did not opt for a press conference to announce his retirement. Bryant’s tweet generated 33,796 retweets and got 22,828 likes.

“I’m ready to let you go. I want you to know now, so we both can savor every moment we have left together,” Bryant tweeted, referring to basketball.

Bryant’s retirement from the Lakers after 20 years does not come as a surprise, but the way he chose to share the news was certainly a surprise. Bryant also posted links to a site for athletes called Players Tribune, which crashed soon after Kobe posted on Twitter and Facebook.

Rising popularity of social media

As soon as Bryan posted his retirement news, tributes started pouring in from current and former teammates, opponents, and, of course, fans.

“We have lived incredible moments together on and off the court. Thanks for everything brother,” tweeted Pau Gasol.

After the Twitter post, Bryant also took to Facebook where he made a simple post that got 20.4 million likes. Though Bryant’s retirement is not good news for the game, the fact that he choose Twitter is something that the micro-blogging firm can boast about. Also Bryant’s turning to Twitter for announcing the retirement news speaks a lot about what fans expect from athletes nowadays.

Chris Sacca, an early Twitter investor, was glad to hear about Bryant’s departure and referred to it as the “entrepreneurial world’s gain.” Bryant does have plans of undertaking entrepreneurial endeavors, but what they could be has not been indicated clearly in his farewell poem. It is known that he is quite fond of the Apple Watch.

Twitter shares closed down 1.19% at $25.75 on Friday. Year to date, the stock is down by over 28% while in the last one month, it is down by over 11%.

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