Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are still in contention to try and land an NBA championship, but they have a lot of work to do. All of it is due to Bryant's indefatigable work ethic and production, which continue to remain one of the most remarkable aspects of the league. Bryant is one of the most banged up players in the league, yet he still goes out there and plays.
What's most interesting is that Bryant might have been pondering hanging it up last year because the pain had become even too great for him.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Yet, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez told reporters Saturday that Bryant told him the pain in his right knee and ankle felt so overwhelming that he considered retiring. That is, until an innovative procedure in Germany this off-season on both his right knee and left ankle fixed everything.
Bryant "was really adamant about how great the procedure was for him," Rodriguez told reporters. "I know that he was hurting before, almost even thinking about retirement, that's how much pain he was under. And then he said after he went to Germany he felt like a 27-year-old again. I was still a little apprehensive about it and he kept staying on me about it."
It's hard to imagine a league without Bryant, but that is something that might have come closer to happening than we realize. With every year that passes, Kobe's exit from the game becomes even more probable, so best for Laker fans to cherish the moments they have left with him.
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