LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant’s torn right rotator cuff will be re-examined Monday before the Los Angeles Lakers decide whether the superstar guard needs potentially season-ending surgery.
Bryant was examined Friday in Los Angeles after the third-leading scorer in NBA history tore his rotator cuff Wednesday in New Orleans.
A completely torn rotator cuff typically requires surgery and several months of rehabilitation, which means Bryant’s 19th NBA season could be over. Bryant’s previous two seasons also ended early due to injuries.
A partial tear sometimes can be managed while an athlete continues to play, but the Lakers have declined to specify the severity of Bryant’s tear.
Yet it’s clear the 36-year-old Bryant has a major injury for the third straight season, his famously resilient body finally wearing down from the accumulated grind of nearly two decades with the Lakers and numerous long postseason runs.
He tore his Achilles tendon in April 2013, and he played in just six games last season before breaking a bone near his left knee.
Team physician Steve Lombardo confirmed the initial diagnosis and discussed treatment options with Bryant on Friday.
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