The current NBA season isn’t even half over, but the entire country is already preparing for the retirement of one of the greatest sports stars the world has ever seen. 
Kobe Bryant has announced that this season, his 19th, will be his last. Meanwhile, his wife Vanessa Bryant has been getting increasingly sentimental about her husband's career and legacy, sharing a sweet memory on the 10-year anniversary of one of Kobe’s greatest achievements.

Vanessa posted a photo on Instagram of herself and her daughter Natalia at Kobe’s legendary 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. The photo shows a pregnant Vanessa and Kobe arm-in-arm after the game, with a sweet caption:

“When I look at this picture I laugh because we almost missed this game," she reflects. "Grandma Cox was staying at our house and did not want to go to the game at first. She hadn’t seen Kobe play at the Staples Center in years and thankfully, I convinced her to go. How bummed would I be if we would’ve misses this extraordinary game?! Lol. So glad my Natalia was able to see her daddy score 81 points! Gigi was in my tummy enjoying the excitement of the arena I’m sure.”

We're sure Vanessa is looking forward to claiming her husband back from the NBA, but in the mean time, she seems to be making sure he's making the most of his last few months in purple and gold.
Watch Kobe reflect on his incredible career and life at the BET Experience Genius Talks, below:

(Photo: JB Lacroix / WireImage)