Los Angeles Lakers welcome rusty Kobe Bryant back into action

For the first time in nine months, Kobe Bryant played in an NBA game.

It didn't matter that the future Hall of Famer's first shot clanked off the side of the backboard. Or that he shot 1-for-5. Or that he only played 12 minutes and didn't record a rebound or an assist and have one turnover.

Bryant, who is entering his 20th season, hadn't played since tearing his rotator cuff on a routine dunk in January in New Orleans. And on Sunday against the Utah Jazz in a preseason game on the campus of the University of Hawaii the 37-year-old was the Lakers' starting small forward.

After the game, which the Lakers lost 90-71, Bryant told the Los Angeles Times that he felt strong. "I don't feel tired at all. It's just getting timing down. Getting acclimated to that again."

Bryant likes what he sees of his youthful teammates.

"(There's) a lot of upside (on this Lakers team)," Bryant said. "The pieces complement each other extremely well."