Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has revealed that he tried to "pull his tendon up" as he realised the extent of his injury last season.

The 35-year-old, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the build-up to the playoffs last season, insists that he wanted to play on after making two free-throws before exiting the court.

"When I first did it, right there, I was trying to feel if the tendon is there or if it's gone," Bryant said, according to Pro Basketball Talk.

"I realized it wasn't there. I was literally trying to pull the tendon up, so hopefully I could walk and kind of hobble through the last two and a half minutes and try to play."

Bryant's mental and physical toughness have been a hallmark of his career as he looks to recover in time for what will be his 18th NBA season.