(CNN) – “My body knows it’s time to say goodbye” wrote five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant as he poetically announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.

During a 20-year career with the LA Lakers, the 37-year-old Bryant has scored 32,683 points during a 20-year career with the LA Lakers, though in recent seasons his form has been hindered by injury.

Bryant signaled his plan to retire in a poem on the Players’ Tribune website, later telling the media he felt “at peace” with his decision and “excited for what’s to come.”

Ranked third on the NBA’s all-time list, the two-time Olympic gold medallist averaged more than 25 points per game in his 1,293 NBA matches.

Catch Bryant while you can — his final game for the Lakers is set to be at home against Utah on April 13.
More to follow.

The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2015 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. (PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons)