<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>This is what happens when I pass too much! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShoulderShock?src=hash">#ShoulderShock</a> thank u all for ur thoughts and prayers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/team?src=hash">#team</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DrinkBODYARMOR">@DrinkBODYARMOR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers">@Lakers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/oneluv?src=hash">#oneluv</a></p>— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) <a href="https://twitter.com/kobebryant/status/558682735233884160">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/kobebryant">@kobebryant</a> at least you haven't lost your sense of humor-pass the Mustard.</p>— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11/status/558733100747083779">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Better shut it down for good now, unless he wants to end up walking like Milk Hair for the rest of his life.
Honestly, I wonder if the passing has something to do with it-- not because of the frequency of the passes per se, but how he passes. Kobe rarely ever just make simple regular passes-- he's always gunning the ball has hard toward a teammate. Part of it is that he's always looking for the "home run" where a teammate has a possible dunk/layup (sometimes they do get those, often it's a turnover, too) and he's often making those passes all the way from the perimeter (because he can't beat guys off the dribble consistently anymore). Also, he often seems to throw passes out of frustration or anger-- basketball temper tantrums-- rather than trying to actually help his team. Rotator cuff injuries often happen to baseball pitchers. And Kobe's been hurling those passes much like a pitcher throws pitches. It's not unreasonable to think that the way he threw the ball may have led to the injury. Or was there a specific play where someone hit Kobe shoulder hard or at a wrong angle or something?