“It’s Safe to Say I Would Not Have Been Able to Play..”: Kobe Bryant Tweaked an Ankle But Found an “Indispensable” Team Member at Lakers and It’s Not Shaquille O’Neal

Kobe Bryant was one of the toughest players in the NBA. Pushing his body to the limit, the Mamba played through pain and injuries. Unlocking his true potential, the 18-time All-Star found success in abundance. His notion to push himself harder than anyone else gave birth to the Mamba Mentality. However, along the way, plenty of struggles also graced their path of Bryant.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar enjoyed a legendary 20-year career in the National Basketball Association. Likewise, Bryant was hurt plenty of times. And when he was unable to suit up, his elite teammates had the most important job. Notably, in Bryant’s early days, the burden heavily fell on Shaquille O’Neal. A one-man wrecking crew, Shaq was often the answer when Kobe Bryant couldn’t get it going.

However, despite winning three championships together the Big Diesel wasn’t Bryant’s most dependable team member. Speaking about the indispensable piece of his journey in his autobiography, the Black Mamba explained the importance of the Lakers’ physical therapist, Judy Seto.

Kobe Bryant couldn’t do without Seto

Much like his idol Michael Jordan, Bryant never wanted to miss any games. However, as his body kept going through the torture, injuries began flooding in. However, the five-time NBA champion barely got into trouble with a major injury. And that was all thanks to his physical therapist, Seto. After tweaking his ankle in the rookie season, Bryant first met Seto. From there began an unbreakable bond. Practically growing together, the Lakers great often fought to claim a spot at her table.

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Speaking about her in his book, ‘The Mamba Mentality: How I Play’, The Mamba wrote: “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 surgery I ever had, and was always there for me.”

“She was that indispensable,” he added.

He credits the master physical therapist for his long career in the NBA. Notably, Kobe Bryant’s knees took a beating during his illustrious run in the NBA, Countless surgeries would probably make it extremely difficult to ever return as the same player. However, after every surgery, Seto was right there. She helped Kobe Bryant achieve greatness in every step of his journey.

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Having her in his corner, the Black Mamba became a five-time NBA champion, an MVP, multiple-time finals MVP, and a perennial All-Star. Arguably, none of it would be possible without Seto taking care of the Lakers great.