The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a major blow on Tuesday night losing rookie Julius Randle to a leg injury late in the game against the Houston Rockets. Randle went down with an apparent injury that didn’t seem serious initially, but ultimately required him to be taken off the floor on a stretcher.
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While the medical staff was tending to Randle under the basket, Kobe Bryant stayed by the rookie’s side to show support to his fallen teammate. Kobe told Randle the following while he was down on the floor, according to the Lakers Twitter account:
Kobe on what he told Randle after his injury: “I just told him to keep his spirits up.” pic.twitter.com/ytne6NraOK
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 29, 2014
If anyone can relate to Randle in that moment, it was Kobe who had gone down the two previous seasons with severe injuries.
After the game, Kobe spoke to the media and said the team will help him through this time, via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Kobe Bryant on Julius Randle: "We're here to pick him up and help him through it."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 29, 2014
As of right now, it remains unclear what the immediate future holds for the rookie forward following the injury suffered against the Rockets. All indications point to Randle more than likely being out for the season with a fractured tibia, but there’s been no official word on his timetable for return.
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