Even though Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant is reportedly ahead of schedule enough to where he may try for a return to full activity by mid August, there's still a long road ahead to overcome. On Saturday, Bryant was interviewed by Forza Milan in Italy, where he was on vacation. Bryant visited his favorite soccer team, AC Milan, but also had rehab work done on his torn Achilles tendon at the Milanello Sports Centre.
Kobe Bryant injury: Lakers’ star rehabs in Italy, expects a November/December return
Though there are murmurs that Bryant could be back on the court as soon as mid August, while vacationing in Italy he said the late 2013 calendar year is a more realistic return date.
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A translation provided by the Los Angeles Times’ Eric Pincus has Bryant remaining cautious:
“I’m here on vacation but I still have to work and improve on recovering from my injury,” Bryant said in Italian (translated for The Times by Jason Negri of USA Basket Notizie).
“It is difficult because I can’t do much, but I am getting stronger every day and I am hoping to return by November or December.”
On Friday, Lakers’ vice president Jim Buss guessed that Bryant could be ready to play in the preseason. That guess lacks medical basis, but Los Angeles area orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Klapper tweeted a few weeks ago that Bryant would easily return by the NBA’s regular-season opener.
Bryant tore the Achilles on April 12 in a game against the Golden State Warriors.
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