The biggest question for the Los Angeles Lakers heading toward the season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers next week has been the playing status of Kobe Bryant. After the win over the Utah Jazz in the preseason finale, head coach Mike D’Antoni basically shut the door on Kobe suiting up for the first game of the season according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters via Twitter:
D’Antoni definitely doesn’t think Kobe will be playing opening night
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 26, 2013
“No, my God – I know he’s superman but my god, since he hasn’t run yet.” – D'Antoni's response to if there's a chance Kobe will play Tues.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 26, 2013
With Kobe only just starting the process of sprinting and shooting, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the five-time NBA champion would not be playing against the Clippers next Tuesday.
Kobe has been uncanny throughout his Hall-of-Fame-caliber career in terms of playing through and returning from injuries, but recovering from this Achilles injury isn’t as easy as returning from a rolled ankle, a sprained wrist or even a torn ACL.
A torn Achilles has been known to end the careers of many prominent professional athletes. Although plenty of athletes have seen their careers come to an end as a result of the severe injury, Kobe is another beast altogether and is using all the motivation given by the many doubters as fuel for the fire in his return to the floor.
So even though Kobe may not be on the floor for the season opener against the division rival Clippers next week, it’d be a safe bet to assume he’ll return sooner rather than later.
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