Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is heading into a season filled with uncertainty. Kobe is coming off a knee injury that ended his season last December potentially threatening his career heading into his 19th NBA season.
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Fortunately, head coach Byron Scott is confident that even if Kobe isn’t back to an elite level or “playing on one leg” as he put it, the future Hall of Famer can still put up the numbers. Scott was interviewed by Yahoo Sports’ The Post Game recently and said the following about what Kobe can provide next season:
“Kobe, even probably with one leg, can average 20 something points a game. And I think that’s very realistic. And I think he’ll do something like that probably five rebounds and five assists a night as well.
“So, I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people. He’s so driven. You know, when people start to write him off that makes him even more driven.
“It’s good to coach a team that has a Kobe Bryant that is a driven Kobe Bryant.”
Kobe signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension back in November of last year securing his short-term future in purple and gold. Although the Lakers brass have bought into having Kobe around for at least two more years, the superstar will turn 36 later this month (Aug. 23) and there’s no telling how much he may have left in the tank.
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Obviously, Scott remains confident that his star player will produce next season. Kobe has also expressed an eagerness to get back on the floor as well as being supremely confident he’ll get back to form as one of the best in the game.
On Oct. 28, Kobe will get his chance to shine with the Lakers set to open their season against Dwight Howard’s Houston Rockets. As if proving all his doubters wrong wasn’t enough motivation to start the 2014-15 campaign, Kobe will get a chance to hand Dwight his first loss of the season.
[divide]Interview: Lakers Coach Byron Scott Talks Nick Young, Kobe, Defense