Good solid article and interview by Mark Stein
Some quotes from Dominique Wilkins
“Everybody said my career was done. ‘He’s done, stick a fork in him.’ I heard everything. They either said I wouldn’t come back, or if I did come back, there was no way I would ever be the same.
“If anybody can come back, Kobe can,” Wilkins says. “And I’ll tell you why I say that: He’s one of the most competitive guys that I’ve ever met. He’s one of those guys that competes on a level like Jordan, Bird and Magic. He has that type of tenacity, that type of attitude, where he’s not going to let anybody tell him what he can’t do. It all depends on the person, how determined and how dedicated you are on working and training to get it back the way it was.
“I don’t care how advanced the medicine gets,” Wilkins said. “It depends on the person and how determined they are to be the same."
Wilkins, though, does acknowledge that Bryant is going to have to work through some initial fears (“I was nervous at first”) and “develop some patience,” more than he’s ever had before, because Nique remembers needing “close to a year before you feel you can play on a level you once played.”
Some quotes from Isiah:
“Devastating is the correct word. It is a devastating injury. Had I come back and played, I’m sure it would have affected my speed, jumping ability, quickness and so forth and so on. I was older, so I had lost some of that anyway.
“But I would never bet against Kobe. Because what Kobe still has that I didn’t have at the end of my career is that hunger. When you listen to Kobe talk ... you still hear and see a hunger that, frankly, I just didn’t have at that point.”
Interesting to read the quotes from 2 of the all time greatest who had the same injury. One decided to continue his career because of the doubters and the other decided to retire because he didnt have the hungier anymore to play in the NBA. Interesting how Wilkins points out Kobe needing to be patient in his rehab. Think this was the biggest understanding the Lakers F.O. and Kobe had to realize when they initially were pushing for season opener.
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