Kobe Bryant was one of the most talented scorers in NBA history and a big menace for opponents, especially in one-on-one situations. The Los Angeles Lakers late icon left a huge mark on the game with his talents and hard work, setting the blueprint for those that came after here.
Kevin Durant was deeply inspired by the Black Mamba, who he considered a ‘God’ growing up. He spent a lot of time studying Kobe, trying to emulate and surpass him when he landed in the NBA.
It seems like he did, as Kobe revealed he was the only player he couldn’t figure out. They had the utmost respect for each other, with KD even picking Kobe over LeBron James in a hypothetical one-on-one game.
Back in 2011, the then Oklahoma City Thunder star was asked who he’d pick between Kobe and LeBron in a pickup game. He sided with the Mamba since he was the best one-on-one player in the game.
“If tough. That’s tough. If I had to pick somebody, I’d pick Kobe. His one-on-one skills –he’s probably the best one-on-one player in the game.”
KD isn’t the only one who believed this; plenty of players would go with Kobe because that’s what he did on the court. Even the 18x All-Star said he could ‘easily’ beat Bron one-on-one because that’s what he does, while LeBron is a 5v5 player.
Durant always was a huge fan of Kobe and during the 2014/15 NBA season defended the Lakers legend after people claimed nobody liked to play with KB24.
“Excuse my language, but that’s (expletive),” said Durant, via CBS Sports. “I want to play with a winner every single night, especially somebody who wants to win that bad, who works that hard, who demands a lot, who raises up your level. I’d want to play with a guy like that every day. … (His style) may make people uncomfortable, how he acts and just how he approaches the game, but I love that type of stuff. I think (the accusation) is BS.”
Kobe Bryant left a huge mark on the league and those who watched and played against him. The 5x NBA champion was an unstoppable force on the offensive end of the ball, showing his talents on a nightly basis.
Now Durant has become the best scorer in the league, trying to leave the game as the greatest of all time in that department. Players like Michael Jordan, James Harden and Kobe are part of that list, but Durant’s looking to reach new levels with his offensive skills.
