Crying In Wife Vanessa’s Arms, Kobe Bryant Tearing His Achilles 10 Years Ago Led To Pau Gasol Seeing His Lakers Teammate Sob For The 1st Time

Kobe Bryant suffered a myriad of injuries in the twenty seasons he played in the NBA. This includes fracturing his hand and fingers, spraining his ankle, and fracturing his knee. However, the most daunting of the injuries was undoubtedly the Achilles tear he suffered in the 2013-14 season.

According to his teammate Pau Gasol, it was the first time he had seen Kobe so devastated that it led to him crying in his wife’s arms, as Landon Buford reported on X (Formerly Twitter). In a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, Kobe Bryant was attempting a move on offense before his Achilles popped. After the game, the five-time NBA champion was heartbroken, and his frustration was visible in the post-game press conference.

Kobe Bryant was in tears after tearing his Achilles

Injuries are a part of any professional athlete’s career, but oftentimes they can leave the player devastated. Kobe Bryant suffered many injuries in his career. He even played through some of them while having to miss games for the rest. However, the one injury that tested the player’s immense mental strength was his torn Achilles in 2013-14. The player broke down in front of his wife and teammate. Here is a post on Twitter by  ‘Landon Buford’ about the same:

Pau Gasol on @kobebryant torn Achilles:

“When Kobe torn his Achilles It’s the first time that saw him cry it was hard,” Says @paugasol.

Vanessa Bryant: “I remember walking into the locker room w Natalia & Gianna & broke down as soon as I hugged him.”#LakeShow #LakersDoc pic.twitter.com/KjR5PyJH6g

— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) October 3, 2022

Kobe Bryant was one of the most headstrong athletes in the world. Nothing could faze him. However, according to his former teammate, Pau Gasol, the Achilles tear was the first time he saw his friend cry. When Vanessa walked into the locker room with the kids, Bryant could not control his emotions and broke down in her arms.

After the injury, the player also took to Facebook to express his frustration. The player wrote a heartfelt post about training hard and waiting for the moment but having it taken away. ‘This is such BS!‘ – the post said. He continued by providing his fans with a motivational message. Kobe asked everyone to let their frustration out but never feel sorry for themselves. That is what ‘Mamba Mentality’ is all about.

Bryant seemed like his old self before tearing his Achilles

Kobe Bryant had won five NBA championships before entering the 2012-13 season. He was determined to win his sixth ring and was playing like his old self at the age of 34. He averaged 27 points per game and willed the Los Angeles team to the seventh spot in the West.

However, as fate would have it, the player tore his Achilles in the 80th game of the season. The injury would lead to him missing the Playoffs. Subsequently, the Lakers team got swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs, who were crowned the Western Conference Champions.