The X-Factor (Kobe Bryant)
Although it feels like forever ago, Kobe Bryant was an elite shooting guard and arguably a top five player just two seasons ago. During the 2012-13 campaign, Kobe averaged 27.3 points per game on .463 efficiency from the field. He was named to the All-NBA First Team for the 11th time in his career.
However, the NBA—much like the rest of the universe—is a “show me what you’ve done lately” type of league. And the fact that Bryant is recovering from a serious achilles’ injury at the age of 36 makes the 2014-15 season for the five-time NBA Champion a mystery.
Although the last time Kobe played a full season was one in which he played like he was still the best shooting guard on the planet, he is too big of a question mark to properly evaluate. Therefore, the jury remains out on No. 24 until we see him on the court during the regular season.
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