Kobe Bryant, one of the top players in the NBA, and one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA, recently suffered a season ending Achilles Tendon Injury. He ruptured his Achilles in a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 13. And has left the sports world wondering if he will return to the game he has played so well for the past sixteen years.
Kobe had already talked about the next NBA season possibly being his last, and that was before this injury, which will keep him out for the next nine months, and require him to miss a majority of the 2013-2014 season. With no chance of Kobe returning by the start of next season, it leaves the question: will he ever come back?
For fans who grew up watching Kobe play, it is hard to imagine the NBA without his signature Fade away Jump shot. It is harder however, to come back from such a devastating injury, especially in Kobe’s case, where he has already reached the prime of his career. It is very doubtful if Kobe will be able to comeback better than before, if he even comes back at all.
After his injury, Kobe took to Twitter and Facebook saying, “This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I’ve done millions of times! The frustration is unbearable.” He added, “Why the hell did this happen? Makes no damn sense.” Bryant also commented on his ability level saying, “I’m supposed to come back from this and be the same player or better at 35? How in the world am I supposed to do that?”
Kobe underwent an MRI to confirm the tear, even though he said he already knew what happened. “I was just hoping it wasn’t what I thought,” said Kobe on his Twitter account. A team spokesman said, “Bryant elected to have surgery to repair the torn Achilles tendon.” According to a CNN interview, Kobe is expected to miss at least nine months.
Kobe is among the leagues best in scoring and is fourth all-time on the list of leading scorers. In 78 games Kobe averaged 38.6 minutes a game and in that time he had an average of 27.3 points per game.
Despite the major setback, some fans believe Kobe may return for the later part of next season, and, possibly, he may even play one more after that. He may not be the same player that he was, but he will definitely still be a threat to other teams.
As of now Kobe is planning to make a return and once he heals, there is hope that he may even perform well. While I don’t believe that he will be able to be as agile as he was, and he may not win another championship. Kobe had only one or two good years left as it was, and adding on this injury, which is one of the worst that an athlete can suffer in sports.
With that said, I believe Kobe will make a return, but he will not be the same player he was. He will come back, he will stay with the Lakers, and he will play one more season to finish out his career. Kobe Bryant is one of the best players in the NBA and has had one of the best careers ever in the league. He will not go quietly into the night.
