Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant officially announced his return date in an online video. The video, posted by his official Facebook account on Friday, says the perennial All-Star will play on Sunday, Dec. 8 against the Toronto Raptors.
Bryant hasn't played in an NBA game since tearing his Achilles tendon on April 12, 2013. After much speculation, Bryant declared on Friday he would make his season debut on Sunday in the Lakers' home game against Toronto.
Watch the video HERE.
The 35-year-old veteran participated in all three of the Lakers' practices this week without any apparent setbacks. The team's company line was that Bryant would continue to be evaluated throughout the week and would then make a decision going forward. Although Bryant is cleared to play, he's expected to play on restricted minutes.
"There will probably be something," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni acknowledged on Sunday, via the L.A. Times. "His conditioning will limit most of it."
D'Antoni didn't rule out the possibility of Bryant sitting out one game when the Lakers play in back-to-back games.
"That would come from inside [the medical department] and him and whatever they tell me," said D'Antoni. "If that's a restriction, then they'll tell me."
Bryant also anticipates restrictions on his minutes and some early struggles as he readjusts to playing again.
"Getting your sea legs, it takes some time to do that," Bryant said on Thursday, via ESPN. "That's why we have preseason games and it builds to the regular season. It just takes a while, no matter how much running and conditioning you do, to get out there and play is different. So I'm sure I'll be limited in some capacity."
Bryant admitted on Thursday his goal was to play on Sunday, but he wouldn't guarantee anything.
"I'm trying," Bryant said when asked about playing against Toronto. "We got to see how it feels tonight. I'm going to try to get another hard session in and then [Friday] morning try to push it again, and the same thing tomorrow evening. Continue to just keep on measuring it."
