In his potential farewell season, Kobe Bryant is struggling mightily.
Yet, despite his struggles, Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott told ESPN.com that the diminished star will not be benched for poor play, no matter how poorly Bryant is playing.
“I would never, never, never do that,” Scott said regarding the possibility of benching Bryant. “That's not an option whatsoever. No, that's not an option.”
Scott’s insistence on trotting out a struggling Bryant has drawn some criticism, as Bryant, now in his 20th season, is averaging more field goal attempts per game (16.4) than points (15.2).
Furthermore, although Bryant is leading the team in field goal attempts per game, he is only connecting on 31.1% of his shots overall and a paltry 19.5% on three pointers. His field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage this season both rank last among qualified players.
During Tuesday's loss to the Golden State Warriors, Bryant shot 1-of-14 as the Lakers were blown out 111-77. Bryant’s performance matched the worst shooting performance of his career in which he attempted at least five shots.
However, despite coming off three consecutive season-ending injuries and having the worst statistical season of his career, Bryant remains upbeat about his current slump.
“I'm not really worried about it, honestly,” Bryant said via ABC News. “My shooting will be better. I could've scored 80 [Tuesday]. It wouldn't have made a damn difference. We just have bigger problems. I could be out there averaging 35 points a game. We'd be what, 3-11? We've got to figure out how to play systematically in a position that's going to keep us in ball games.”
The Lakers currently sit at 2-12 and well out of contention for a playoff spot.