Kobe Bryant is in Brazil for Nike as they represent quite a few fútbol players participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The same week we learned Derrick Rose is ready to go, another former MVP, Bryant, informed an interviewer that he was “100 percent.”
Bryant has already responded publicly after U.S. Men’s National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann denigrated his two-year deal, he’s also unsettled Tim Duncan matched him by winning his fifth NBA title. But at least he’s finally healthy after a season-ending left knee fracture in December this season.
The interviewer asks at the 29-second mark of the interview below:
“How is your knee? Are you prepared for next season?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m 100 percent,” Bryant tells him. “One hundred percent.”
Bryant also talked about his Lakers, acknowledging they have a lot of work to do to return to prominence. Kobe’s Lakers finished at the bottom of the Pacific Division during a 2013-14 season when he only appeared in six games after returning from the Achilles Tendon tear towards the end of the 2012-13 season before fracturing the left knee:
“It’s a very, very tough season, but you know, what’s life without a few challenges? You know, you’ve got to have a few challenges. This summer, I’m training really hard. The organization’s working really hard to make sure we have a great team. That’s the best time, when people count you out.
“We only have three players from last year’s team signed to contracts right now, including me. We don’t have a coach. So it’s literally like starting from scratch. It’s not really what we have to do better than we did last year, it’s that we have to build the right team to win next season.”
Bryant wouldn’t name a coach he was pushing for, but he understands finding the right person for the job will be difficult. From his demeanor in the interview, you can tell he’s relishing the chance to prove people wrong, but it’s anybody’s guess how effective he’ll be after turning 36 in August and coming off back-to-back knee injuries.
(video via YouTube user Team Kobe; H/T BDL)
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