Kobe Bryant has announced that he won’t have surgery on his damaged right pinkie, deciding that the 12-week recovery period was too long for him and the Lakers. Bryant said Tuesday on his Web site, kb24.com, that he did not wish to miss any days at training camp.
He also said, “I have always felt that I can still focus and play at a high level even through various injuries. That’s really just part of the game. When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery. What it really came down to for me is that I just didn’t want to miss any time ‘punching the clock’ for the Lakers, given all we are trying to accomplish as a team this NBA season. I am just really excited and looking forward to being there with the guys when camp opens in a few weeks. That is a real bonding process and if I can avoid being on the sidelines for that, God willing, I will.”
Bryant injured his finger in a Feb. 5 game against the New Jersey Nets, jamming it against the body of Jason Kidd. He jammed it several times over the course of the rest of the season, but it did not stop him from earning his first NBA MVP award and leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals.
His original plan was to delay surgery until after the Beijing Olympics. After consulting “numerous doctors” he decided against having surgery, however. The Lakers’ training camp begins Sept. 30 in El Segundo and their season starts Oct. 28 at home against Portland.