How or if 34-year-old Kobe Bryant returns from his torn Achilles’ is unpredictable; history shows some stars who have taken different routes back from the injury, which is relatively rare among NBA players. Here are a players who represent scenarios Bryant could end up like:
The good: Dominique Wilkins
| PPG | RPG | Shooting pct. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-injury | 26.2 | 7.0 | 46.9 |
| Post-injury | 21.5 | 5.9 | 43.9 |
Wilkins returned from the injury at age 33 to score a stunning 29.9 points per game, and he made two more All-Star Games as he faded into his late 30s.
The bad: Elton Brand
| PPG | RPG | Shooting pct. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-injury | 20.3 | 10.2 | 50.5 |
| Post-injury | 12.1 | 7.1 | 48.7 |
Despite being in his supposed prime athletic years at age 29, Brand never again would average as many points or rebounds as he did in even his worst pre-injury seasons.
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The ugly: Isiah Thomas
| PPG | APG | Shooting pct. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-injury | 19.2 | 6.9 | 45.2 |
| Post injury | Retired | * | * |
Thomas made the All-Star game 12 out of his 13 years in the league, but multiple injuries, highlighted by the torn Achilles’ ended his run at age 32.