When it comes to injury updates, fans can't get enough.
And especially when it's a star player who is recovering from an injury, people will gobble up even the smallest morsel of information (see Rose, Derrick and Griffin III, Robert).
Normally, there's is a reluctance on the part of the player or the team to provide too much information. Either for strategic or medical reasons, teams don't want the entire world knowing where their superstar is in his or her recovery.
And so that is why it's so refreshing to see Kobe Bryant, one of the most popular athletes in the country, providing his followers with copious updates on his recovery from a torn achilles.
Bryant, sometimes known for his anti-social nature, could easily have gone into hiding this offseason while he recovers. Many of his fans would have understood -- he is so determined to return stronger than ever that no one would have blamed him for limiting his public exposure. Instead, Bryant has opened his life to millions of followers (and essentially the entire world), taking fans where no player has before.
Throughout the surgery and recovery process, Bryant has posted photos and videos to his Instagram account (which he started on the day after his injury) detailing his journey:
Bryant has taken fans into the doctor's office and even into the operating room. On the day Instagram unveiled its new video feature, Bryant posted this clip to the delight of millions of his fans:
Never before have fans had such behind-the-scenes access.
Kudos to Bryant, who has been on Twitter for less than a year but seems to understand exactly what people are looking for on social media. Bryant's three million followers and social media awards are proof that the Black Mamba is doing something right.
