Kobe Bryant will undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which will end his campaign this season, but the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is expected to be back next season.

Bryant, who has been bothered by ailing shoulder since the start of the season, suffered a torn rotator cuff in New Orleans last week when he went for a dunk.

The NBA's third all-time leading scorer met with team doctor Steve Lombardo on Friday and Neal ElAttrache on Monday to study his options before deciding to undergo surgery, which would require him to have a seven-month rest and rehabilitation to make a full recovery.

The injury created speculation that it will not just end Bryant's season, but it might also convince the 19-year veteran to retire for good because of the recent injuries that he sustained.

Bryant will not finish the season for the third consecutive year. The 36-year-old superstar sustained a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in April 2013, and suffered a fractured bone in his knee last season.

Lakers head coach Byron Scott believes that Bryant, who is set to earn a total of $23.5 million this season and $25 million next year, will return to play again in the 2015-16 season.

"I don't think we appreciate how tough he is, all the injuries and other things that he's played with, to be able to come back the way that he's come back," Scott told reporters, when asked about talks about Bryant's possible retirement. "I don't see Kobe as the type of guy that wants to leave his legacy on these terms. I think he wants to go out on his own terms."

Lakers veteran forward Carlos Boozer echoed Scott's statement, saying that he is convinced Bryant will go all out in his rehabilitation to silence his critics anew.

"Kobe is a warrior," Boozer said of Bryant. "He's strong, and he's going to attack rehab like he always has."

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryant plans to spend a lot of time at the team's training facility to stay in shape while recovering from the surgery.

Sources also added that the five-time NBA champion and two-time Finals Most Valuable Player will be very active in recruiting free agents in the offseason in the hope of competing for the title in what could be his final year next season.

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