Kobe Bryant Says he has almost no Cartilage in his Knee

[MichaelAngelo]

Full Story: http://bit.ly/fhDga7

[I]Kobe appeared to know exactly what was ailing his two-time defending team. Minutes after being manhandled by the Heat, he pronounced he was going to

[oh the horror]

And its shit like that, which will eventually take Kobe completely out of the mix. I always laugh when dudes think Bryant will play until hes like 40....It AINT happening. Little nagging injuries eventually build up....his fingers....his knees...etc.

[ashbelly]

I asked before why kobe was not practising with the team, and they deleted my thread.

Kobe Bryant isn’t an old man (he is 32 years old) in the traditional sense, but in basketball years he would be collecting social security right now. Through in all the trials, tribulations, successes, failures and drama he has endured since he was in high school, he maybe the oldest 32 year old man on the planet.

Lakers fans don’t want to see, but I saw it years ago.

Same thing happened to Jordan toward the end. The physical started to break down while the mental aspects of his game started to rise to a level well above your average basketball player.

Same thing with Bryant, his physical peak with spent with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown, what you are seeing now is a Obi Wan Kenobi version.

Bryant entered the league in 1996, it is currently 2011. He has only missed the playoffs once and played in seven NBA Finals winning five.

That is a lot of mileage on a 32 year old body, so I am not surprised he is started to break down physically and why he is trying to keep the Lakers engaged mentally to get that six title he so desperately wants.

Kobe appeared to know exactly what was ailing his two-time defending team. Minutes after being manhandled by the Heat, he pronounced he was going to “kick [butt] at practice . . . and beat it into their heads. It was time to get the team focused.”

Which brings us to the crux of my inquiry. How did Kobe propose to pull that off, a Lakers’ legionnaire wondered, “when he hasn’t practiced the whole season (something no member of LA’s press has called him out on)?”

Is that true, I asked Kobe?

“Yeah.”

Why?

“Because I have very little cartilage under my right knee cap, it’s almost bone on bone.”

Kobe knows he is running out of time. Regardless of what you think of Lebron James, D Wade, Dwight Howard, Amar’e, CP3, Derek Rose, Carmelo Anthony and etc, those guys are just hitting their prime and will be the dominate forces of the next decade.
Kobe is chasing a legacy, five titles is nice and his spot is secure, but a three peat and a sixth ring will only cement it further. His body is telling him he is close to the finish line, but he mind is trying to override the signs.
It is an amazing thing to watch from a distance, because you can see the wheels turning in his mind. It is like a Marathon runner who has been leading a race, but he can see the pack in the distance slowly catching it while he is trying to finish that last mile.
While I don’t like to compare him to Michael Jordan overall, I do see similarities in the way their careers will end.
Michael Jordan in 1998 was not the same Michael Jordan in 1991, he just wanted it more and willed his way to that last title. It was his signature moment in a career filled with them.
Bryant is going to try to attempt to will the Lakers to a threepeat.
Can he do it?
It will be fascinating to watch.

[mashbelly]

I asked before why kobe was not practising with the team, and they deleted my thread.

damn those mods

[tpols]

And its shit like that, which will eventually take Kobe completely out of the mix. I always laugh when dudes think Bryant will play until hes like 40....It AINT happening. Little nagging injuries eventually build up....his fingers....his knees...etc.

Michael had problems with his knees for years in the 90s and he kept going.. and many other players have had worse or similar injuries and keep going.

Plus kobe doesn't rely on his speed or athleticism nearly as much as the other superstars in the league right now(wade, lebron). He doesn't need to explode off his right leg and he rarely tries to get any lift on his jumps when he's attacking the rim.

That combined with his mentality and hunger to win/improve his legacy makes me think he still has a few solid years of production left.

[Pinkhearts]

Doubt anyone expects Kobe to be dominating till 40. As long as he maintains a high level of play for his current huge contract (2.5 more years to go I think) it'll be all good. The Lakers will be done by then as all their core players will be into their mid thirties. But they would have 3-peated and won so many rings together it'll be worthwhile.

After that Kobe might get a new contract for a lower price. Or just retire. He won't be expected to do so much anymore.

[oh the horror]

Michael had problems with his knees for years in the 90s and he kept going.. and many other players have had worse or similar injuries and keep going.

Plus kobe doesn't rely on his speed or athleticism nearly as much as the other superstars in the league right now(wade, lebron). He doesn't need to explode off his right leg and he rarely tries to get any lift on his jumps when he's attacking the rim.

That combined with his mentality and hunger to win/improve his legacy makes me think he still has a few solid years of production left.

Sure, he has a few "solid" years left, but they'd better surround him with optimal talent, and he has to come to the realization that he cant be "alpha dog" forever....because you can already see clearly what 14 years in the league is doing.

Dude IS slipping.

[oh the horror]

And I'll say it right now.....You're in FULL ON DENIAL if you believe Kobe will be in this league at 40. It will simply NOT happen.



7 more years? Are you kidding?


Unless you want to see a 40 year old Bryant, coming off the bench for 10 minutes a game, averaging 5ppg, it aint happening. His body is already showing signs of wear and tear at 32-33 years of age.


14 years in the league folks....its no joke.

[ballup]

It looks like the Lakers are saving Bryant by limiting his minutes to 33 per game. That will help his longevity, but it can also be a sign that his body is breaking down and he has a limited amount of time left to be a high caliber player. In a couple of years, he may be doing what the Spurs are doing to Duncan.

[Pointguard]

He don't need to be doing the Olympics or Summer ball. He should let them know now. He didn't rest.

[ashbelly]

He don't need to be doing the Olympics or Summer ball. He should let them know now. He didn't rest.

He already said he's ready to play in the olympics in 2012.

[Apocalyptic0n3]

And I'll say it right now.....You're in FULL ON DENIAL if you believe Kobe will be in this league at 40. It will simply NOT happen.



7 more years? Are you kidding?


Unless you want to see a 40 year old Bryant, coming off the bench for 10 minutes a game, averaging 5ppg, it aint happening. His body is already showing signs of wear and tear at 32-33 years of age.


14 years in the league folks....its no joke.

I can see it happening... if he gets close to Malone. Jordan is well within range and Kobe could be third all time without much issue by the team he retires. Playing at the age of 40, though, would only happen if he's within range of Malone, or if he averages 20+ for three-four more seasons, Kareem. Otherwise, I don't think he'll play that long.

[New York Knicks]

Another excuse by Kobe. What else is new?

[asdf1990]

This is gonna sound like a stupid question, is bone on bone in NBA players cuz of injury to the knee followed by surgery or just the miles on the knee?

[ashbelly]

This is gonna sound like a stupid question, is bone on bone in NBA players cuz of injury to the knee followed by surgery or just the miles on the knee?

I think with kobe it's both, but wear and tear mostly has to do with it.