Kobe Bryant ‘definitively’ coming back in 2015-16

People close to Kobe Bryant are telling reporters that their hero is “definitively” coming back next season. He will miss the rest of this year with an injury.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant will undergo surgery on his torn rotator cuff on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season, according to a report.

Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times also reported that people “around Kobe” are saying the 36-year-old shooting guard will “definitively” be back in 2015-16.

Lakers announce that Kobe Bryant will have season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday. No timetable for his return but likely several months.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 26, 2015

Those around Kobe say he is definitively coming back to play next season. Doesn't want to go out like this.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 26, 2015

Source: Kobe will also be active in free-agent recruiting for the Lakers, including pitches to possible future teammates in July.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 26, 2015

For starters, those close to Kobe might want to learn that “definitively” is not synonymous with “definitely,” even if using it makes you sound smarter than you might actually be.

But I quibble.

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Bryant played in 35 games this season, averaging 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.5 minutes per game, but shot a career-worst 37.3 percent overall. His 3-point percentage of 29.3 percent came on 5.3 attempts per game.

With Bryant out again with an injury, that runs his total of games played over the last two seasons to 41—equivalent to half of one season.

Bryant has missed time recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon sustained near the end of the 2012-13 regular season, a fractured bone in his knee that he sustained last season and now the torn rotator cuff.

Bryant did pass an important milestone this season, passing Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

With his season over, Bryant has 32,482 career points—4,446 points behind second-place Karl Malone and 5,905 points behind all-time leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bryant is one of two active players among the all-time leading scorers; Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks is currently in ninth place with 27,581 through Sunday’s games, 1,015 behind Shaquille O’Neal.

Bryant is under contract for 2015-16 for $25 million, providing a lot of incentive to return. He signed his current two-year extension in November 2013.

Bryant was voted into the All-Star Game as a starter in results released last week, but will have to be replaced for the second consecutive season.

Last year, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was named to take Bryant’s place in the Western Conference’s starting lineup; this season, Curry was the leading vote-getter.

Candidates to replace Bryant would appear to be led by Houston Rockets guard James Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring at 27.6 points per game.

Bryant is in 11th place, but will fall off the list as he will not have enough playing time this season to remain.

Other candidates to possibly start in Bryant’s stead include Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Klay Thompson of Golden State and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers.

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