The basketball world held its breath Friday night after future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant hit two free throws, limped off the court, and headed to the locker room with the help of trainers. The Staples Center stood and applauded him after he walked off of the court.
However, after the Los Angeles Lakers 118-116 win over the Golden State Warriors, Laker fans would get some heartbreaking news.
Reports say Bryant has suffered a probable torn Achilles tendon, according to ESPN Los Angeles. The superstar guard will have an MRI Saturday, but the organization said it is a “probable” and “complete tear.” He is likely out for the remainder of the season.
“Just terrible, it’s a terrible feeling,” Bryant said.
The injury occurred with a little over three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Bryant, who was being guarded by Warriors rookie forward Harrison Barnes, made a strong move to his left and suddenly fell. He immediately began to grab his right ankle. He then asked Barnes if the rookie had kicked him. After Barnes said he had not, Bryant assumed the worst.
"I made a move that I make a million times and it just popped," Bryant said. "I was just hoping it wasn't what I knew it was. Just trying to walk it off, hoping that the sensation would come back, but no such luck."
The hashtag #PrayforKobe trended Friday night on Twittter. The words “Kobe” and “Achilles” trended Saturday morning.
Many NBA greats have suffered the same injury and been forced to leave the game because of it. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, both saw their careers end because of the tear to an Achilles tendon. However, the 34-year old Bryant is fully aware of the doubt that will be cast over his career and he won’t go down without a fight.
It's fueling me, it's fueling me," Bryant said. "I can feel it already. It's just players at this stage of their career, they pop Achilles and the pundits say they never come back the same. So I can hear it already and it's pissing me off right now thinking about it."
Barring a bizarre turn of events, the Laker great is a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. He has scored over 30,000 points, been an all-star 15 times, and won two finals MVPs in addition to his five championships.
Bryant later vented on his Facebook page:
"All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times!" "The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen ?!? Makes no damn sense. Now I'm supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that??
Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni was asked about the abundance of minutes Kobe played during the course of the year. Bryant played an average of 45.7 minutes per game over the last seven games.
"It is like putting my head against a wall and he just wouldn't budge on (resting)," D'Antoni said. "And there is a part of me that didn't want him to budge because he's incredible. It is one of those things. If I had it all to do over again, then maybe (I would sit him). I will second-guess it and look at it, but he is an incredible competitor and it happened and we will go forward."
Despite the anxiety and pain, Bryant is confident his team will make the playoffs.
"I'm going to be there still," said Bryant, who added he was "confident" that his team could fulfill his playoff guarantee without having him in uniform. "I can't be with them out there on the floor, but I can use my intellect to try to break down film and try to help them see things that they might not see and try to help as much as I can from the sideline and the film room and go from there."
