Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is heading into the twilight of his career in the NBA with a lot of uncertainty after consecutive season-ending injuries. Kobe signed a two-year contract extension this past November and has secured his immediate future with the Los Angeles Lakers as a result.
Even though Kobe is under contract for the next two years, it’s impossible to know if he’ll maintain his elite status as a player. The future Hall of Famer is as resilient as ever with no indication of giving up on his quest for a sixth ring heading into an uncertain future, but many remain skeptical about whether he’ll be the same dominant force on the basketball floor.
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Two-time NBA champion Luke Walton talked about Kobe fighting to come back stronger than ever on The Herd with Colin Cowherd:
Father time catches up with everybody, but for him, in his mind I don’t think he thinks that, I still think he feels he can score 30 points a night, I think he’s going to be able to come back from injury and get 30 points maybe once a week, but I don’t think his body will allow him to do it every single night like he’s done it his entire life.
Walton also talked about Kobe’s mentality and the pros and cons of being his teammate in Los Angeles via Cowherd:
He expects and demands so much, out of himself and out of his teammates, he’s so competitive, that at times, it’s not the easiest thing to be out there playing with him, but I’d rather take that and be playing with Kobe, than not have him on my side.
He has no problem yelling at people, he has no problem pointing his finger, but he’s a great teammate, he wants to win at all costs.
Despite locking up potentially his final two seasons with the Lakers for $48.5 million, only time will tell if Kobe can get back to form as an elite player in this league. Kobe played in only six games this season after coming back from a torn Achilles and suffering a fractured knee.
It remains to be seen what Kobe will be able to contribute to the team after battling through severe injuries the past two years. It could easily go either way for the superstar heading into next season with the Lakers faithful hoping for the Kobe of old and the critics ready to say he’s washed up.
(H/T Kobe Bryant – Our Legend)
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