Rumors are swirling that Kobe Bryant will retire after the 2015-2016 basketball season. Although Los Angeles Lakers' five-time NBA champion has been surrounded by retirement rumors in the past, a recent interview with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has added some credibility to those rumors.

In an interview with NBA.com, Kupchak said he believed that Bryant, 36, will hang up his jersey after his two-year, $48 million deal ends after the conclusion of the next season.

"All indications are, to me, from him, that this (two-year contract) is going to be it," Kupchak said in the article published on Monday.

Bryant, a 16-time All-Star, has remained with the Lakers throughout his entire 18-year career - through the good, the bad, and the devastatingly bad.

Last year, the Los Angeles team completed the 2013-2014 season with a dismal 27-55 record. Bryant spent most of the season on the sidelines due to a myriad of injuries.

However, his return to the court hasn't resulted in an onslaught of victories for the Lakers. The team, which has accumulated 16 NBA championships over the years, isn't faring much better with their current record of 5-16.

The Lakers, which was named the second-most valuable team in the league by Forbes in 2013, currently has the second-worst record in the Pacific Division in the Western Conference.

Although the Lakers have definitely seen better days, and much better basketball playing, Bryant's popularity has not waned. The Black Mamba still has over 20 million likes on his Facebook page and nearly 6 million followers on Twitter.

If any of Bryant's fans want to see him play in person, Kupchak said they should not wait to buy their tickets.

"If somebody's thinking of buying a ticket three years from now to see Kobe play, I would not do that. Don't wait. Do it this year," Kupchak warned.