Las Vegas Weekly

September 11, 2008 · 8:14 AM

Kobe nixes hand surgery, opts to play in Vegas exhibition game vs. Kings

By Robin Leach

Photo: Tom Donoghue

Kobe Bryant, shown in gold medal-winning form with Team USA, will be in Vegas with the Lakers next month.

Olympic gold medal-winner and L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant is coming to Vegas after all for the pre-season exhibition game against the Maloof family’s Sacramento Kings! Fans and Laker team members were frightened that surgery on his finger would KO him until the new year. But Kobe himself decided against the surgery on his right hand pinky finger saying he didn’t want to miss that much time away since Lakers training camp opens later this month.

In a message on his website yesterday (Wednesday), Kobe wrote: "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."

Kobe gets ready for the rumble between the LA Lakers and the Sacramento Kings here on Oct. 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

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