Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard, injured his right shoulder in the Wednesday night Lakers loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. An early MRI exam showed a tear of the rotator cuff. His return to Los Angeles will be followed by an examination by team doctors and an update on his condition will be given.

According to ESPNLA, in true Kobe fashion, he isn’t too worried about the injury saying, “I’ve played on a torn labrum before, I’m not too concerned about it.”

Kobe Bryant, now 36, has had many, many successful years  in his basketball career. On this day, January 22, eight years ago, Bryant scored an amazing 81 points in the 122-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors. It is the second-most points scored in one game in NBA history, only Wilt Chamberlain (100) has scored more.

Check out the NBA.com video of Kobe’s every shot during that record breaking game.

I am dedicating this blog to my Kobe-loving man, who so kindly asked me to post about his favorite basketball player.

*I do not own the photo in this post. Please click for credits*