Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant will undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right
shoulder, the team said Monday. A timetable for his recovery won't be
known until after the procedure.
The Lakers said the surgery will take place Wednesday. ESPN reported
Friday that Bryant is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
"Now we know Kobe is probably not going to play [the rest of the season]," Lakers coach Byron Scott said at practice Monday.
It would be the third consecutive season-ending injury for the
36-year-old Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and former league MVP,
raising more questions about his future. The 19-year veteran has one
year remaining on his contract with the Lakers, during which he is set
to be paid $25 million.
After taking the weekend to mull his options after Lakers team doctor
Stephen Lombardo found a significant tear in his right shoulder, Bryant
met Monday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, another Lakers doctor, who advised
Bryant should have the surgery.
Bryant suffered the injury during last week's loss to the New Orleans
Pelicans, though sources told ESPN on Friday that he has been dealing
with the injury since the preseason.
He played just six games last season as he recovered from Achilles
and knee injuries, meaning he will have missed 75 percent of the Lakers'
games over the past two seasons.
Bryant played 35 games with the Lakers this season, averaging 22.3
points -- 3.1 points below his career average -- over 34.5 minutes per
game. He shot only 37.3 percent from the field, the worst percentage in
the last 50 seasons for any player averaging at least 20 points per
game.
He also was averaging 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Lakers,
who are 12-33 and ahead of only Minnesota in the Western Conference
standings.
Bryant will have to be replaced in the All-Star Game on Feb. 15
despite being voted in as a starter for the Western Conference, his 17th
all-time selection, second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19).
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/12232146/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-shoulder-surgery