Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant has said that he hopes his return from injury next season will inspire his teammates.

The legendary Lakers man sat out the back end of last season as he continued to be plagued by knee trouble, with the franchise missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2005 following his absence.

"Hopefully it'll inspire them [my teammates] to understand that overcoming is part of the deal, part of living," said Bryant, according to Lakers Nation.

"When you are faced with those types of challenges, you have two options, one you can shy away from it, do nothing about it or you can rise to the challenge.

"Doesn't matter if you are a basketball player or a writer, we all have obstacles, hopefully what we'll do here is inspire everyone else to do the same."

The new NBA season is due to get underway in October, with camps beginning at the end of this month.