Kobe Bryant Out for Season With Rotator Cuff Injury, Blames Too Much Passing

Kobe Bryant was set to start in February's NBA All-Star Game in the same venue -- NYC's Madison Square Garden -- that he played his first such game in 1998. But, in a twist that's becoming familiar to Los Angeles Lakers fans, Bryant went down with a season-ending injury on Wednesday night. The damage: A torn rotator cuff Bryant suffered while putting home a two-handed dunk against the New Orleans Pelicans.

"It felt fine when I went up, didn't feel too good when I came down," Bryant said after the game (via ESPN).

In a show of bravery (or, some might say, hubris), Bryant went back into the game after the injury and proceeded to do everything with his left hand.

"Obviously after I saw that everything he did was with the left hand, I knew then, let's get him out of there," Lakers coach Byron Scott said.

On Friday, Bryant joked about the injury on Twitter:

While most fans expect Bryant to return in 2015-2016, there's a chance he might be forced to call it quits. CBS writer Matt Moore pointed out that Bryant has suffered a torn Achilles tendon, a broken kneecap, a dislocated finger and a torn rotator cuff in just the past two seasons.

"Bryant's done all he can, and he may be able to finish this thing in the way that he wants," Moore wrote. "But it will be thanks to good fortune, and not his indomitable will. It turns out some things you can't beat."

Knowing Kobe, he'll still be back next season, even if his entire right arm falls off.

Tags

Nba