5 Bold Predictions for the 2013-14 Lakers

1. Kobe Bryant will play opening night

We’ve come accustomed to the iron man mentality of Kobe Bryant, but let’s not fool ourselves Lakers fans, this injury is very serious. As someone who’s seen how an Achilles tear can go bad, I know that if not given the proper time to heal and recover, this could become an absolute nightmare. But with all that being said, Bryant has surrounded himself with an incredibly smart staff of doctors who know are knowledgeable and will make sure Bryant doesn’t rush things. When given the all clear, expect Bryant to go full speed in his training.

The Black Mamba loves listening to the doubters, saying he won’t be back opening night. He loves hearing people say he won’t ever be the player he once was. He’s watching those talking heads on ESPN, he reads those tweets, and he hears the radio show hosts. No one expects him to be back opening night, just 6 months after suffering quite possibly the worst kind of injury a player in his situation could suffer. But don’t say I didn’t tell you say when Bryant walks out opening night in his purple and gold jersey.