Kobe Bryant: (Shoulder) To Undergo Surgery, Miss Rest Of Season

Bryant (shoulder) has decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and will miss the remainder of the season, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports.

Analysis:

While there was a slight chance Bryant would opt to forego surgery and play through the tear, he's decided to go ahead and have the procedure Wednesday. Bryant, who was voted by fans to start the All-Star Game, will miss the rest of the 2014-15 season after averaging 22.3 points, 5.6 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 35 games. While Bryant's counting stats are impressive considering his age, he was maligned for his lack of efficiency and high-volume shooting, as evidenced by a career-low field goal percentage (37.3%). It's unclear what the future holds for the 36-year-old, but he has one year remaining on his two-year deal with the Lakers and figures to be back next season with what could be a vastly improved roster.