Gary Vitti confirms ruptured achilles, Kobe out 6-9 months

Personally I think it's going to be a stretch for Kobe to come back and be a role player, because that what he's going to be.

He will have aged another year, the rest of his body will have weakened and won't have the same feel for the game after being away from so long, and more importantly he will have to play the game with effectively a different speed and agility to which he has become accustomed to.

Quite possible he make the one game come back like Charles Barkely did.

Takes a couple of jumpers in that game, and than retire.

I'm pretty sure he could come back and be an effective player, just his days of 25+ ppg are quite probably over.

He will probably have to learn to retool his game to be the second banana to Dwight.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]I'm pretty sure he could come back and be an effective player, just his days of 25+ ppg are quite probably over.

He will probably have to learn to retool his game to be the second banana to Dwight.[/QUOTE]
hopefully third banana by the 2014-15 season.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]Yeah I read that too. The only big downside is apparently performance for returning players took a big hit, as in they were never quite the same afterwards.

Maybe Kobe can come back and be a 19-21 ppg player.

Apparently this happened to Kobe's stronger foot too, which is bad because that's the foot he uses to explode off of.[/QUOTE]

From what I can see it's the terminology being used. "Complete tear", etc. is randomly used to describe different injuries.

What Kobe had was the injury wear the tendon is severed and the foot is basically dead. That's why it did not hurt, because the foot goes numb and you can't even feel it.

What these other guys had was a "complete tear"........but the tendon is still alive and not dead. Two totally different injuries. Kobe's injury is much much more severe.

[QUOTE=stevieming]Personally I think it's going to be a stretch for Kobe to come back and be a role player, because that what he's going to be.

He will have aged another year, the rest of his body will have weakened and won't have the same feel for the game after being away from so long, and more importantly he will have to play the game with effectively a different speed and agility to which he has become accustomed to.

Quite possible he make the one game come back like Charles Barkely did.

Takes a couple of jumpers in that game, and than retire.[/QUOTE]

This, and it's unforunate. I wanted Kobe to go out at full strength losing the playoffs, not this.

Its weird. As someone who coudn't stand Bryant all these years I feel a strang kinship with him since I had the same injury, done pretty much the same way.

Sorry to tell you this but I don't think a lot of people understand how devestating this injury is, especially to get it at his age. He will not be the same and it's a grueling recovery proces. I have a scar that goes from mid calf to my heel.

[QUOTE=Knoe Itawl]This, and it's unforunate. I wanted Kobe to go out at full strength losing the playoffs, not this.

Its weird. As someone who coudn't stand Bryant all these years I feel a strang kinship with him since I had the same injury, done pretty much the same way.

Sorry to tell you this but I don't think a lot of people understand how devestating this injury is, especially to get it at his age. He will not be the same and it's a grueling recovery proces. I have a scar that goes from mid calf to my heel.[/QUOTE]
:( Do you think he'll even be able to come back at all? Or do you think that he's going to hang up the laces?

[QUOTE=Doranku]:( Do you think he'll even be able to come back at all? Or do you think that he's going to hang up the laces?[/QUOTE]

Well, I didnt have the same kind of medical staff Kobe does of course but I had my surgery and rehab at Lenox Hill hospital here in NYC which is one of the best in the city. I didn't play again for about two and a half years, and a lot of it is mental because the injury happens so freakishly that you're scared that the slightest thing you do will cause it to happen again. But my leg has never and will never be the same. I still feel the tightess and it's weaker than my other. He can get back but won't be nearly the same player and given his pride I'd expect him to come back to go out on his terms, not to be a major impact player.

[QUOTE=Knoe Itawl]He can get back but won't be nearly the same player and given his pride I'd expect him to come back to go out on his terms, not to be a major impact player.[/QUOTE]


Same here. 95% chance he will be nowhere near as good as he was up to 2 days ago, and a reasonable chance not playing a meaningful game ver again. He will come back, for a game or for half a season, he will realize he is not what he once was and given his pride he will retire soon after, this is my best guess.

Sad.

My personal feeling is he can still be a 18-22 ppg player for another year and be the second banana to Dwight in the offense, if his ego will allow for that.

There's nothing really wrong with that and a fat $30 million dollars to collect. Why not.

[QUOTE=Knoe Itawl]This, and it's unforunate. I wanted Kobe to go out at full strength losing the playoffs, not this.

Its weird. As someone who coudn't stand Bryant all these years I feel a strang kinship with him since I had the same injury, done pretty much the same way.

Sorry to tell you this but I don't think a lot of people understand how devestating this injury is, especially to get it at his age. He will not be the same and it's a grueling recovery proces. I have a scar that goes from mid calf to my heel.[/QUOTE]
Irony.

The most psycho Kobe hater of all-time, gains sympathy and kinship in what might be Bryant's final moments in the league as we know him.

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]Irony.

The most psycho Kobe hater of all-time, gains sympathy and kinship in what might be Bryant's final moments in the league as we know him.[/QUOTE]

Sh!t, I guess I'm on that list too :confusedshrug: :oldlol:

[QUOTE=Soundwave]My personal feeling is he can still be a 18-22 ppg player for another year and be the second banana to Dwight in the offense, if his ego will allow for that.

There's nothing really wrong with that and a fat $30 million dollars to collect. Why not.[/QUOTE]

I seriously doubt he will be in a position to play competitive basketball next year. If he does come back next season it will probably be for his farewell game, like Barkley did. I'd put my money on him coming back in the 2014-2015 season, play mediocre for half a year, sit out most of the season with a few minor injuries and hang it up.

A fully torn Achilles at age 35 is too much. I know he is a warrior but he is human.

In a sense, he went out on top. He had a couple of great games, had that superb performance vs. Portland just 2 games prior to his injury. He was playing great basketball, he didn't become a shell of his former self. Watching him play in his (potentially) last season was great. You didn't have to feel sorry for him until the very end. He made his last two three point shots, he made his last two free throws. He scored his teams last 8 points, brought them back from a 6 point deficit with 3 minutes left. Swished his free throws knowing it is the end of his season and had the balls to discuss it with the media right away. To me, that is going out on top.

Wizards Jordan was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened. A 14/3/5 Kobe on 28 mpg would be a mistake that shoudln't happen either. He has very little chance of being close to the same player he was until yesterday. If he can, he should play. If he cannot, he shouldn't.

[QUOTE=kuniva_dAMiGhTy]Sh!t, I guess I'm on that list too :confusedshrug: :oldlol:[/QUOTE]
Nah, Niva ...

You always gave him credit when it was due. Knoe never did that, why would you even compare yourself to such a nut bag? Guy would go on rants or gloat about Kobe's struggles, and then disappeared for TWO WHOLE YEARS when Kobe was successful in 2009 and 2010. Reappears when he fails.

I saw you give Kobe kudos just the other day for his 2 straight epic performances, playing THE RIGHT way. Don't put yourself in his category. You didn't like Kobe, sure. You weren't a psycho about it. And you were objective enough to give him props when deserved.

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]Irony.

The most psycho Kobe hater of all-time, gains sympathy and kinship in what might be Bryant's final moments in the league as we know him.[/QUOTE]

The funny thing is, only Bryant stans over the years have ever used a term like "psycho hater" to describe me. I've acutally had pretty cordial relationships with non psycho Bean fans over the years, and many have agreed with what a lot that I've written about him. At any rate, I'm not going to use this situation to argue about my feelings on Bryant as I don't find it appropriate so if you respond you'll be talking to yourself from this point on.

Oh, and a true "psycho hater" would revel in this injury, not feel compassion towards it.

[QUOTE=elementally morale]I seriously doubt he will be in a position to play competitive basketball next year. If he does come back next season it will probably be for his farewell game, like Barkley did. I'd put my money on him coming back in the 2014-2015 season, play mediocre for half a year, sit out most of the season with a few minor injuries and hang it up.

A fully torn Achilles at age 35 is too much. I know he is a warrior but he is human.

In a sense, he went out on top. He had a couple of great games, had that superb performance vs. Portland just 2 games prior to his injury. He was playing great basketball, he didn't become a shell of his former self. Watching him play in his (potentially) last season was great. You didn't have to feel sorry for him until the very end. He made his last two three point shots, he made his last two free throws. He scored his teams last 8 points, brought them back from a 6 point deficit with 3 minutes left. Swished his free throws knowing it is the end of his season and had the balls to discuss it with the media right away. To me, that is going out on top.

Wizards Jordan was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened. A 14/3/5 Kobe on 28 mpg would be a mistake that shoudln't happen either. He has very little chance of being close to the same player he was until yesterday. If he can, he should play. If he cannot, he shouldn't.[/QUOTE]

If Billups can make it back I'm sure Kobe will too.

He just won't be the same player. Wizards-era Jordan might be a good comparable actually.