Kobe Bryant is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of the NBA and one thing that will never be questioned is his commitment and desire to be the best at all times.
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This off-season, Kobe has worked feverishly to recover from his two major injuries and prepare himself for this upcoming season. There are a number of questions surrounding Kobe’s health and what his body can handle coming into this season. CBS Sports’ Ken Berger wrote a feature story in which Bryant admits that he doesn’t know if his body will hold up:
Through all the platitudes, a complicated figure finds himself hemmed in by his own reality. There, in a quiet corner of the practice court, I asked him, “How do you know that your body won’t let you down again?”
“I don’t,” he said.
“How do you deal with that?”
“I accept it,” he said. “It could happen at any moment, right?”
Kobe’s body breaking down is a scary thought, especially with the recent news of Steve Nash being ruled out for the 2014-15 season. Bryant insists, however, that he has done everything possible to fight off Father Time:
I’ve done the work, man. God knows, I’ve done the work,” he said. “If Father Time gets the best, he gets the best. But it’s not for a lack of effort.”
So far this preseason, Kobe has looked very good considering the setbacks he has faced. He scored at least 26 points in each of his last three games, though he shot only 41.5 percent.
Head coach Byron Scott will monitor Kobe’s minutes throughout the season, and even made the decision to sit out Kobe for the remainder of the preseason. Everyone is taking the necessary precautions to ensure Kobe will play at a high level this season and keep fighting Father Time.
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