NBA News, Rumors 2015: Kobe Bryant Injury Update - Superstar Out 9 Months, Could Return Next Season
Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles Lakers "effectively ended" his NBA season on Wednesday night following the surgery he had to repair his shoulders, according to reports.
The 36-year-old athlete had an operation which lasted for two hours to correct his torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, Yahoo! Sports News reported. The five-time NBA champion injured his shoulder last week on a contest against the Pelicans in New Orleans.
The operation was carried out by team doctors Neal ElAttrache and Steve Lombardo at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
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In light of these events, Bryant is expected to miss nine months of play to allow himself to recover from the procedure.
If the All-Star meets the designated timetable, he could return just in time for the start of the 2015-16 NBA season.
"I expect Kobe to make a full recovery and if all goes as expected, he should be ready for the start of the season," Dr. ElAttrache told reporters.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak confirmed that Bryant isn't retiring yet despite the circumstances the NBA superstar suffered.
"I don't think he's retiring," Kupchak told ESPN Thursday after the Lakers' shootaround. "He said he's looking forward to training camp. That's what we expect."
Bryant is currently NBA's highest-paid player with a $23.5 million contract this season.
