Bryant sends out powerful message to Hayward about resilience

FILE PHOTO: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers drives on Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz in the fourth quarter at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

NBA great Kobe Bryant offered Gordon Hayward a powerful motivational message on Instagram with the Boston forward looking at grueling recovery from his injured left leg.

Just five minutes into his debut with the Celtics in the season-opener, Hayward dislocated his left ankle and fractured his tibia in a gruesome injury that stunned the NBA.

Hayward, who signed a four-year contract with the Celtics in the off-season, has undergone surgery to repair his ankle and is expected to miss the rest of the season for Boston.

READ: Gordon Hayward suffers gruesome ankle injury in Celtics’ season

Bryant told Hayward to celebrate “mini milestones” during his recovery to help him “find beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted.”

“This will also mean that when you return you will have a new perspective. You will be so appreciative of being able to stand, walk, run that you will train harder than you ever have,” he added.

The former Los Angeles Laker, known for his impeccable work ethic and vicious demeanor dubbed as the “Mamba Mentality,” also believes that Hayward can come out of this obstacle a “better player.”

READ: Players, teams rally behind Gordon Hayward after grisly injury

Bryant is not a stranger to pain, having dealt with a torn Achilles tendon that slowed him down in the latter part of his career in the NBA. Incidentally, Bryant played his last game in the league against Hayward and the Utah Jazz in April 2016.

Read the full post here:

Be sad. Be mad. Be frustrated. Scream. Cry. Sulk. When you wake up you will think it was just a nightmare only to realize it’s all too real. You will be angry and wish for the day back, the game back THAT play back. But reality gives nothing back and nor should you. Time to move on and focus on doing everything in your power to prepare for surgery, ask all the questions to be sure you understand fully the procedure so that you may visualize it in your subconscious while being operated on and better the chance of it’s success. Then focus on the recovery process day by day by day. It’s a long journey but if you focus on the mini milestones along the way you will find beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted. This will also mean that when you return you will have a new perspective. You will be so appreciative of being able to stand, walk, run that you will train harder than you ever have. You see the belief within you grow with each mini milestone and you will come back a better player for it. Best of luck to you on this journey my brother #mambamentality always.

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Oct 18, 2017 at 8:38am PDT