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Reading: Kobe Bryant Dislocated His Finger During A Game, Trainer Gary Vitti Popped It Back In And The Black Mamba Immediately Returned To The Game
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Kobe Bryant Dislocated His Finger During A Game, Trainer Gary Vitti Popped It Back In And The Black Mamba Immediately Returned To The Game

Kobe Bryant Dislocated His Finger During A Game, Trainer Gary Vitti Popped It Back In And The Black Mamba Immediately Returned To The Game

Ishaan Bhattacharya
Aug 9, 2022
3 Min Read
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Credit: WatchNBA201415 (YouTube)

Kobe Bryant is one of the toughest NBA players to ever take the floor. Everyone remembers the iconic free throws he made after tearing his Achilles in 2013, but there are plenty of other Kobe stories that reflect his toughness and commitment to the game, even through his later career.

Bryant was playing for the Lakers when the San Antonio Spurs came into the STAPLES Center in February 2016 for their final match against Bryant. While the game was supposed to be a mismatch in favor of the Spurs, Kobe was going to give the Lakers everything he could in pursuit of a win. Bryant used to believe the Spurs were the reason the Lakers didn’t win more championships during his time. 

During the game, Kobe would slip while trying to gather the ball and dislocate his finger by placing his hand awkwardly on the hardwood after slipping. Instead of subbing out of the game, Kobe walked over to Lakers trainer Gary Vitti and made him pop the joint back in so that Kobe could return to the floor. 

Vitti spoke about his experiences working with Kobe and went into depth about how Kobe reacted when his finger was dislocated and how the pair managed to deal with it.

“Dislocations hurt. There are different degrees of dislocation. If you see my face, I really put a lot of traction on that to get it back where it was, that’s how dislocated it was. He was tough as he is. He was writhing in pain. When you see Kobe writhing in pain, you know it hurts. I put it in and as soon as I did, you could just see his pain went away. Anybody else would still be in pain, but he just walked back onto the court even before I taped it. I wanted to tape it but he was already gone.”

This is yet another story that proves Bryant’s dedication to the game was absolutely incredible. He didn’t even wait for the Lakers to call a timeout, Kobe insisted on getting his finger adjusted while there was a dead ball. 

Vitti would go on to say that Bryant had to get the finger taped to avoid further injury. The Lakers and Bryant would lose that game 119-113 as Kobe scored 25 points in the loss. 

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ByIshaan Bhattacharya
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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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