Kobe Bryant has torn rotator cuff

An MRI exam has revealed that Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has a torn rotator cuff. Team doctors are set to examine Bryant and they will determine if he needs season-ending surgery to repair the damage. Kobe has been dealing with soreness in his shoulder since the preseason and he aggravated the injury during the Lakers’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Wednesday night.

“It felt fine when I went up, didn’t feel too good when I came down,” Bryant said after the game.

Kobe has played 35 games for the LA this season and has been averaging 22.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 5.6 apg. The 12-time All-Star was recently voted as a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars this 2015.

The Lakers (12-31) have been in disarray this 2014/15 and are currently last in the Pacific Division. Losing Bryan to season-ending surgery would not affect their already guaranteed absence from the Playoffs .