Kobe Bryant admits to fading athleticism

Kobe Bryant held a fireside chat recently during his promotional Nike tour in China and concedes he will have to offset diminished athleticism.

“I can say I want to be able to jump as high as I used to. I want to be as fast as I used to. But no; I don’t jump as high as I used to,” Bryant said. “That’s okay. I’m not as fast as I used to be. That’s okay, too. I’ll figure out another way to do it.”

The majority sentiment supported by Bryant and those around him suggests he will resort to his strong fundamentals both with his footwork and in the post. It also appears Bryant could face some restrictions with his minutes both with playing time and possibly even sitting on certain back-to-backs.