As a 5x champion, 18x All-Star, and 1x MVP, Kobe Bean Bryant is widely regarded as one of the 10 greatest players to ever pick up a basketball.
For most, he falls somewhere in between 6 and 9, behind legends like Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and (of course) Michael Jordan.
But for Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, his All-Time list looks a little different, and it’s all because of Kobe. According to the Toronto sharpshooter, Bryant is actually the greatest basketball player ever.
Raptors Point Guard Fred VanVleet Explains Why Kobe Bryant Is The G.O.A.T.
To Fred, Bryant was a guy who had it all. He had the natural athleticism, the talent, the will, and the perfect mentality to match. Really, Kobe was the perfect storm of greatness.
“Kobe is the guy for me. The skill set, the mentality, the athleticism, the will…surgical. He’s the guy”
“Kobe is the guy for me. The skill set, the mentality, the athleticism, the will…surgical. He’s the guy”
– Fred VanVleet on who he considers the best player ever.
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Bryant may not be as strong as LeBron, or as flashy as Stephen Curry, but he had a way of succeeding on the court that is truly unmatched today, and VanVleet isn’t the only one to dub him as the GOAT.
Kyrie Irving also has Bryant at the top of his NBA food chain.
Recently, [Kyrie Irving] named his mentor Kobe Bryant the greatest player of all time, defending his opinion against everybody, showing how much respect he had for Kobe’s game. In one of his latest live streams, Kyrie recalled an old story of having dinner with Kobe, where the Black Mamba tried to tease and motivate him a little bit.
“He said, ‘Nah man, I think Golden State is going to win the championship this year’. And you know, you have a few responses that you could get back at the greatest to play this game. By the way, when I say ‘greatest to play the game’, it doesn’t mean I’m knocking everybody else. The greatest to play the game to me, I don’t give a f**k, I don’t care about your stats, I don’t f***ing care. The greatest to play the game to me…”
While players and analysts rarely have Kobe so high in All-Time, it is a trend among players to include Bryant in the top 5.
Because for all that Bryant could do on the court, he could do even more as a leader, motivator, and mentor. The dude was just cut from a different cloth, and he left a strong impression on all those he crossed paths with over his NBA career.
