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Back in April 2013, Kobe Bryant went down with an Achilles injury that ended his season and left a lot of people second guessing whether he’d be able to bounce back.
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Fortunately, Kobe was able to get back on the floor eight months later, but only lasted six games before suffering a knee injury that ended his season for a second consecutive year.
After his first practice session under new head coach Byron Scott, Kobe spoke to the media about the injury that threatened to end his career saying the following, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Kobe: "The game was becoming a little stale. I think the Achilles injury just ignited a new challenge for me personally."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 30, 2014
At 36, Kobe will enter his 19th NBA season next month with his sights set on winning a sixth ring. Although the veteran shooting guard is facing long odds to winning another championship in Los Angeles before calling it a career, the future Hall of Famer remains confident that this team will exceed expectations.
Kobe talked about all the pieces or ingredients coming together in order to right the ship next season, via Winters:
Great quote from Kobe today: "We certainly have a lot of ingredients now, it's just a matter of cooking them the right way."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 30, 2014
With a lot of players on the current roster having a chip on their shoulder and looking to prove something next season, the Lakers have an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong if the team can put it together. Kobe will play a major role in bringing this squad together along with head coach Byron Scott changing the culture with a defensive approach.
[divide]Lakers Media Day 2014: Byron Scott Says Kobe Is ‘Far From Retiring’