James Worthy Says Kobe Bryant Will Return At All-Star Level

Another season for the NBA will be commencing soon, and the expectations continue to surface all around. One of the many things that fans will be looking forward to is seeing the Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time leading scorer Kobe Bryant.

Last season, he managed to only play six games before suffering another injury (left knee) in a game against the Grizzlies and eventually, led to him sitting out the rest of the season.

And now with the upcoming season, a lot of fans continue to wonder if Kobe can play again at an all-star level—which will be a crucial factor for the Lakers’ success.

Former Laker and three-time NBA champion,  James Worthy believes Kobe will be able to play again at an all-star level according to a recent interview with Time Warner Cable SportsNet :

"“I think he’ll be back at all-star level. He’s an all-star as long as he’s in the league, but he might have to make a few changes of his game. He’s got a lot of miles on that body, so I hope he’s willing to accept that. Byron understands him very well and I think Byron will be able to convey the proper message to Kobe.“Then when we need him down the stretch he’s still going to have that bump-and-fade-away game, below-the-rim type of game. He’s still a strategic player so he knows how to play the game.”"

The first game of the Lakers next season will be against the visiting Houston Rockets on Oct. 28 and this is where we’ll be seeing Kobe’s much-awaited return. We still don’t know if he’ll suit up for some preseason games, however, knowing how eager he is to get back to work—we shouldn’t be surprised if we see him play at an earlier date.

Bryant has yet to play a game in 2014 and the NBA has never been truly the same without him.