NBA Roundup: Kobe Bryant says he’s ‘100 percent’

Two leg injuries later, Kobe Bryant said he is 100 percent healthy and ready to get back on the court with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant, who suffered a season-ending left knee fracture back in December, gave a brief TV interview Wednesday in Brazil, where he is taking in the World Cup.

“Oh yeah, I’m 100 percent,” Bryant said when asked by the interviewer about his health. “One hundred percent.”

The 35-year-old Bryant said he realizes both he and the franchise are starting over in many ways.

Bryant last played Dec. 17 when he sustained a fractured lateral tibial plateau in his knee. That injury occurred after he missed the first 19 games of the season during his recovery from a torn Achilles in his left leg from the previous April.

— What Dwight Howard wants and what Houston needs might be one and the same. That will not make the complicated task any easier to complete for the Rockets.

James Harden and Howard combine to make Houston a contender for the playoffs, but Howard thinks a championship can be attainable if the Rockets are able to maneuver their finances to clear room for one more elite player.

Carmelo Anthony, who has until June 23 to opt out of the final year of his contract with the New York Knicks, is expected to reach free agency. LeBron James and Chris Bosh could follow suit with the Miami Heat, but they have until June 30 to tell president Pat Riley which way they’ll go this summer.

Howard, 28, played for his third team in three seasons last year, going from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers before reaching free agency in July 2013.

— Kansas center Joel Embiid is becoming the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft.

According to reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers are zeroing in on Embiid but are still open to trading the first pick. Cleveland has interest in veteran All-Star forward Kevin Love, and a combination of the top pick and a young, low-salary, high-potential player or two in return could be attractive to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Embiid is expected to be in the mix for the top pick along with Jayhawks teammate Andrew Wiggins, Duke forward Jabari Parker and Kentucky forward Julius Randle.

The Milwaukee Bucks own the second overall pick and are the only team to host Embiid, Parker, Wiggins and Australian point guard Dante Exum.

Cleveland has the first overall pick for the third time in four years.