Team USA practice started this week, and for the first time in nine years Kobe Bryant was not part of the team's Olympic preparation. Bryant told reporters in January he'd decided to decline to participate following his retirement last season.

However, that didn't stop Team USA and Coach K from circling back to make absolutely sure the Black Mamba didn't want in.

On the one hand, you couldn't have scripted a better ending for Bryant's career than that last game, going down in a blaze of gunning glory in a win over the Jazz as he scored 60 on 50 shots.

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Kobe Bryant's time with Team USA is over. USATSI

Sure, with Team USA, he didn't even need to play. Instead, he could have just hung out and been a mentor. But with he and his wife having announced they're expecting, attending the Olympics in Rio wouldn't have been a smart choice given the Zika outbreak anyway. And in the end, Bryant gets to hand off to a new generation while he enjoys more time with his family. All's well that ends well.

Unless they really need a guard at some point ...

HT: NBC Sports