NBA, The Return Part III: The Kobe Bryant Edition
NBA, The Return is a three part series breaking down the comebacks of three of the NBA’s best players
Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players to ever play basketball. From the moment he was drafted in 1996, his career took off. He went from a high flyer and fan favorite to one of the most respected players in the game. He won everything from MVP awards to All-NBA recognition(s) to even a Slam Dunk contest. He has lifted up the Larry O’Brien Trophy five times. His career has been nothing short of amazing.
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However, if you were to only watch the last few seasons of his career, you would’ve missed out on one of the game’s best. As he has gotten older, his body has started to fail him and with each injury he sustains and each game he misses, fans can tell Kobe Bryant won’t be in the NBA much longer.
It started back on April 12, 2013, when Bryant would suffer a torn Achilles tendon which cost him the rest of his season. The injury and subsequent surgery led to him missing the first 19 games of the 2013-14 season. It seemed that Kobe was finally starting to get his legs back when another injury would occur.
While playing the Memphis Grizzlies, in what was only his sixth game back, Kobe sustained a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee. The injury was only supposed to cost Kobe around six weeks, but the fracture ended up costing him his season as his body struggled to heal.
Kobe returned the following season in great shape and spirit, as he was healthy and excited to play for former teammate and new head coach Byron Scott. Bryant started out the season by showing the fans what they had missed. He put up a triple-double against Toronto and a few games later passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. It seemed that Kobe Bryant was back to his old self again, but that feeling would eventually turn.
After a few games where Bryant seemed to play poorly, Scott held him out of the lineup citing Kobe needing to rest, as his body was worn down and sore. In what was his 35th game of the season, Kobe Bryant went up for a dunk and tore his rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He would finish the game, but underwent season-ending surgery a few days later.
In the past two seasons, Kobe has played 41 games out of a possible 164 – or 25 percent.
What can we expect of Kobe this year? Will he make it a full season, or even half? Kobe Bryant has already etched his name in the history of the league. He’s a hall of famer, as well as one of the best to ever play, but his body seems to be failing him.
I imagine this will be Kobe’s last season, but I don’t see him playing more than 60 games. I hope he’s healthy all season, but the last two seasons make me fearful that, for the third season in a row, Kobe will miss more games than he plays in.
Appreciate this season from Kobe, especially if he’s playing.