Kobe Bryant says it's 'realistic' he will play in exhibition games

Bryant has practiced only once on his surgically repaired right knee, but Coach Phil Jackson plans to play Bryant at least eight minutes against Minnesota in London and FC Barcelona in Spain.

So far, after six days of Lakers' practices and seven sessions in all because of Monday's two-a-day, Kobe Bryant has practiced only once on his surgically repaired right knee.

And yet Bryant said Thursday it's "realistic" that he will play in the Lakers' exhibition games in London on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, against FC Barcelona.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said his plan is to play Bryant for at least eight minutes in the exhibitions.

"It's about whether I can perform or not," Bryant said after practice before the Lakers boarded their Thursday afternoon flight to London. "That's with any game. That's why I've always been real adamant about me not missing games because people come to watch me play. You want to make sure you get out there and play."

Jackson and Bryant are aware that the fans in Europe will pay good money to watch Bryant and the Lakers because they are the NBA's showcase team.

Still, the Lakers have to temper that with Bryant's well-being for the regular season.

"The reality is we want him to be out there on the court to play," Jackson said. "Whether it's a six-to-eight-minute run or whether it's two of them, like 16 minutes in a 48-minute game."

Bryant got his first and only taste of action this week when he tested his knee during Monday night's scrimmage.

"It felt fine," Bryant said. "It felt like I can strengthen up in certain areas, which is what I've been working on after that. I haven't had any swelling [in the knee] at all."

That conflicts with what Jackson said Tuesday about Bryant, saying his star guard did have "a little swelling [in his knee], obviously."

The Lakers have scheduled a practice right after they land in London on Friday.

Sometime during those three days before the Monday game in London, Bryant plans on practicing.

"It's like if I can practice that day, I'll go out and I'll practice and then kind of see where and what areas my knee needs to get stronger in," Bryant said. "So it's kind of just testing it out."

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