NBA News Wire
Kobe claims he is 100 percent
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Two leg injuries later, Kobe Bryant said he is 100 percent healthy and ready to get back on the court with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant, who suffered a season-ending left knee fracture back in December, gave a brief TV interview Wednesday in Brazil, where he is taking in the World Cup.
“Oh, yeah. I’m 100 percent,” Bryant said when asked by the interviewer about his health. “One hundred percent.”
Bryant, 35, also discussed the Lakers’ 2013-14 season in which they stumbled to a 27-55 mark, the worst finish since the franchise moved to California from Minneapolis in 1960. It led to Mike D’Antoni’s resignation, leaving the Lakers in the market for a new head coach and holding the No. 7 pick in next Thursday’s 2014 NBA draft.
“It’s a very, very tough season, but you know, what’s life without a few challenges?” Bryant said. “You know, you’ve got to have a few challenges. This summer, I’m training really hard. The organization’s working really hard to make sure we have a great team.”
The 35-year-old Bryant said he realizes both he and the franchise are starting over in many ways.
“It’s the best time, when people count you out,” he said.
Bryant last played Dec. 17 when he sustained a fractured lateral tibial plateau in his knee. That injury occurred after he missed the first 19 games of the season during his recovery from a torn Achilles in his left leg from the previous April.
