Kobe Bryant pulls himself out of the 2016 Olympics

Kobe Bryant said to reporters on Monday that he is most likely taking himself out of the running for the 2016 Olympics. Bryant, who has been plagued with injuries since the end of last season, is currently out of action with a fractured bone in his knee.

Interestingly enough, summer 2016 is also when his recently signed deal worth $48.5M expires. Never one to miss an opportunity for a backhanded compliment, shared his candid thoughts on the Olympics.

By the time summer 2016 rolls around, Kobe will be knocking on the door of 40. After a career of playing "peerless" basketball, lengthy playoff runs, and several trips to the Olympics, the miles on Kobe are closer to a 25 year career, than the 18 years he has been in the NBA.

There is a lot of time between now and 2016, so I would expect this story to change a few times. It's Kobe Bryant. If the Lakers don't wind up landing a few marquee players over the next two seasons to help Kobe get his 6th ring, I would imagine "settling" for Olympic Gold would be at the top of his list.

Follow Padraic O'Connor on Twitter @padraic_oconnor

Source: Brett Pollakof; NBC Sports

Photo Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images