Lakers Rumors: Renowned Dr. Judy Seto has reportedly been rehired by the team

According to recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors, Dr. Judy Seto, a well-known physical therapist in the world of sports, is returning to the team’s staff.

The Los Angeles Lakers did not have a lot of luck with respect to injuries during the 2018-2019 campaign, but if recent Lakers rumors are true, that could change.

Injuries were one of the major reasons as to why the team missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year. In spite of the drama they endured, one could even argue injuries were the primary reason the team had such a bad season.

Superstar LeBron James only played in 55 games, with most of the missed opportunities being due to a groin injury he sustained on Christmas. Players like Lonzo Ball were sidelined for even longer stretches of time.

Granted the hiring of Frank Vogel has received a fair amount of publicity over the last few days, the Lakers made another crucial move recently.

Per Harrison Faigen of SB Nation (originally via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN), the Lakers are bringing back renowned physical therapist Dr. Judy Seto.

As the report indicates, Seto is famous for her work with the legendary Kobe Bryant. Seto left the organization right after Bryant called it a career. Albeit it is pure speculation, that may not be just an interesting pairing of events.

According to Faigen, the exact role Seto has been given is not defined at this point in time. Despite that being the case, Seto’s hiring is one that comes with a great deal of promise.

I have been extremely fortunate to read Kobe’s book entitled The Mamba Mentality: How I Play. One excerpt in the book specifically details how much Bryant appreciated Dr. Seto’s assistance. At one juncture, Bryant kindly says the following about her work ethic.

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"“It’s safe to say I would not have been able to play as well or as long without her as my physical therapist. She helped me recover from every single surgery I ever had, and she was always there for me. Literally. Whether it was a family vacation to Italy or a Nike trip to China, Judy came with me. She was that indispensable.”"

It is easy to detect why Bryant’s relationship with her was as good as it was. Similar to how he was obsessive in terms of perfecting his game, she likewise dedicated herself to her profession. The pairing seems like it was a match made in heaven given their diligent demeanors.

The move is important because as Dan Duangdao of Lakers Nation reminds us, the Lakers fired their chief athletic trainer, Marco Nunez, to begin the offseason. Therefore, this prudent hiring helps alleviate that particular loss.

Duangdao goes on to say that the Lakers collectively missed 212 games throughout the 2018-2019 season. Thus, the squad is hoping that the presence of Seto will lower that figure somewhat. Anything would help at this stage, and, because of her track record with Kobe, it is hard to imagine others having a different experience.

While I honestly do not know a lot about science, the fact that Bryant has given her the seal of approval says enough to me. She should be a great addition to the Lakers’ medical staff.

Certainly, the Lakers have a lot of work to do this upcoming summer, but this is a huge step in the right direction. The fact that Dr. Seto played a significant role in making The Black Mamba’s career last two decades makes her worthy of being rehired.

Without a doubt, the Lakers will be in the hunt to acquire a big fish or two in the time to come. However, while this move may not garner the same amount of applause that getting a free agent would, it is still one that deserves validation.