Bryant Expected to Be Ready for Training Camp

Kobe Bryant, who had surgery on his right shoulder Thursday morning in New York, is expected to recover in time for training camp, according to the doctor who performed the hourlong operation.

Dr. Louis Bigliani removed an inflamed bursa sac and trimmed a frayed labrum in Bryant’s shoulder during a procedure at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.

“I was very encouraged by what I found in the shoulder,” Bigliani said in a telephone interview from New York. “It was very positive from the standpoint that I think he’s going to make a full recovery. All of the ligaments and tendons in the shoulder were good.”

Bryant was released from the hospital with a sling on his right arm, but he was able to shake hands with his surgeon. Bigliani said he would examine Bryant again today and then periodically through the summer.

Bigliani refused to say whether Bryant would be able to play in the Olympic qualifying tournament in August, as it is clear Bryant is holding out hope for a quick recovery.

USA Basketball awaits official word from Bryant but soon will need to gather members of its committee to choose a replacement, if necessary. Training camp, which begins around Oct. 1, is more critical to the Lakers.

“We’re not going to put any time clock on it,” Bigliani said. “But we expect him to have a full recovery and we expect that he’s going to do just fine.”

Asked specifically about camp, Bigliani said, “I think it’s realistic.”

He said Bryant’s labrum -- once believed to be torn -- was only “partially torn,” and therefore the tissue did not require reconstruction. Instead, it was trimmed.

Bigliani performed a similar surgery on then-New York Yankee pitcher David Cone, who two years later pitched a perfect game.

Bryant will wear his sling for two or three more days, then begin a rehabilitation program of stretching and range-of-motion exercises.

“He was a pretty ideal patient,” Bigliani said. “Very thoughtful. Cooperative. Interested. We were very impressed.”

-- Tim Brown

Hockey

New Jersey Devil goalie Martin Brodeur, passed over for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff most valuable player, won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie at the league’s awards banquet in Toronto.

Other winners included Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche, who won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. For a complete list of the award winners, see D14.

Mighty Duck forward Rob Niedermayer said he will exercise his option with the team, which will pay him $2.1 million next season. Niedermayer, 29, was acquired in a March 11 deal with Calgary.

Jurisprudence

Obstruction of justice charges against Sacramento King forward Chris Webber and his father were dropped by federal prosecutors in Detroit, but perjury charges against the two still stand. Webber, his father, Mayce Webber Jr., and his aunt, Charlene Johnson, were indicted last year and accused of lying to a federal grand jury about money authorities say the player received from former University of Michigan booster Ed Martin, who died Feb. 15.

A Chicago judge threw out a lawsuit against Michael Jordan, ruling that he does not have to pay a woman who wanted $5 million to keep their relationship quiet.

Seattle Seahawk tight end Jerramy Stevens was sentenced to five days in jail and 40 hours of community service for violating probation with a drunk-driving arrest.

Tennis

Second-seeded Andre Agassi needed only 47 minutes to defeat 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, 6-1, 6-2, to move into the quarterfinals at the Queen’s Club in London. Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, the defending champion, survived 21 aces to beat Belgian Dick Norman, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4.

Top-seeded Jelena Dokic was eliminated by Paola Suarez, 7-6 (4), 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix event at Vienna.

Track and Field

Aleen Bailey of South Carolina ran the fastest time (22.76 seconds) in the first round of the women’s 200 meters at the NCAA track and field championships in Sacramento.

Bailey and teammate Erica Whipple, who had the second-fastest time of 23.02 in the first round of the 200, are setting up a duel with Muna Lee and her Louisiana State teammates in the sprints.