After undergoing surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant had his third consecutive season cut short due to injury. From the initial timetable given following the prodecure, he is expected to be ready in time for the beginning of next season.
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Bryant has overcome the first part of his recovery by getting out of the sling and will be at Lakers home games until the season ends. Before Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons, Bryant addressed the media and revealed he could enter the next phase soon and begin running in the near future, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Kobe believes he can run in about a week and a week and a half
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 11, 2015
News of Bryant being able to run in a week or two bodes well for his recovery. Unlike his previous two season ending injuries, the torn rotator cuff doesn’t affect Bryant’s legs and his ability to stay in relative shape.
Bryant has mentioned before he would do anything to make sure he makes a return for the 2015-16 season. People around the league believe he will come back strong while Bryant himself is out to prove he can still compete at a high level in what will be his 20th year in the NBA.
The Lakers front office have an interesting off-season on their hands. They have a protected top-five draft pick and plenty of cap room to build a roster in Bryant’s final year under contract. While Bryant has earned the reputation of being an elite competitor, he doesn’t want the Lakers to sacrifice the team’s future on his quest for another title.
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