Kobe Bryant has said that he hopes for a "rebirth" when he returns from shoulder surgery next season.
The Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard has suffered a season-ending injury for a third year in a row after Achilles and knee injuries curtailed his previous two campaigns.
The 36-year-old said in an interview with NBA TV: "I can't say it is the end. I thought the Spurs were done 20 years ago. Those guys are still winning.
"So, to answer the question, I can't say this is the end of my era because I thought their [era] was done, and they're still there. So I'm hoping I can have the same rebirth.
"I want to see if I can. I don't know if I can. I want to find out. I want to see. What I'm going to do is do what I always do: I'm going to break everything down to its smallest form, smallest detail, and go after it day by day. Just one day at a time."
Bryant averaged 22.3 points per game this season before suffering the injury.
