Kobe Bryant Injury Update: Lakers Star Tears Shoulder Muscles; Surgery & Rehab Looming?

On Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant tore his rotator cuff when he drove to the baseline to deliver a dunk, the Lakers confirmed Thursday.

An AP Sports report published on Yahoo Sports said that tests conducted on Bryant revealed the tear on his right shoulder but the team has not yet released an update on their player's condition, with coach Byron Scott declining to speculate how severe the injury is.

Bryant will have to miss the rest of the season if he will undergo surgery for his recent injury, an ESPN source said. "There is strong concern within the organization that is indeed the case," the report added.

The Lakers star has been trying to deal with a shoulder injury even before the opening of the current season and during the third quarter of Wednesday's game, he made a two-handed dunk that is speculated to be the reason for the said injury.

"It felt fine when I went up, didn't feel too good when I came down," Bryant was quoted by ESPN as saying.

He was seen grabbing his shoulder as he ran back down the court, checked out of the games a few minutes then checked back right in during the start of the fourth quarter.

"Obviously after I saw that everything he did was with the left hand, I knew then, let's get him out of there," Scott told members of the media after the game.

Despite his possible serious injury, Bryant is still confident that he will be able to rise above this adversity. "I've played on a torn labrum before. I'm not too concerned about it," he added.

AP Sports, however, noted that injuries like this require several months of rehabilitation and that it would be difficult for Bryant to play with that kind of injury. However, he has shown that he is able to play despite being in so much pain.

In April 2013, Bryant tore his Achilles tendon and was still able to survive playing some games after it.

The Lakers star is famous for being a huge contributor in terms of scoring since he started playing in the league in 1997. He has been named four-time All-Star MVP and has been recently declared as one of the leading basketball scorers, even passing the record of Michael Jordan, AP Sports added.

Updates on the situation of the Lakers player are expected to be released on Friday and fans are hoping that Bryant is not in a vey bad condition and that he will still be able to play for his team to try to regain a spot in the championship this year despite their most recent loss against the Pelicans. But if Bryant would need to undergo surgery, it is highly possible that he will not be seen for the rest of the season.

Check out the video courtesy of NBA via Basketball Nation YouTube channel.