As a 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA player, 4x Scoring Champ, and 2x Finals MVP, Kevin Durant has already established himself as one of the best basketball players ever.
No doubt, much of his success can be credited to natural talent and hard work, but Durant is also a student of the game and he has not been shy about learning and growing from others before him.
As he revealed in a chat with the media this week, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was one guy he always tried to emulate, and Durant himself even admitted as much.
“It’s hard to fill them shoes and to be a Kobe Bryant. But Kobe is somebody I’ve been around and still study to this day, and basically, I just try to copy everything he does, same with Michael Jordan,” KD said. “Those two guys just set the tone for everything you want to be as basketball players. So, I simply just try to copy them as much as I can.”
Kevin Durant Shares One Key Piece Of Advice He Received From Kobe Bryant
KD did more than just watch and study Bryant, however. Like a true student of the game, he was willing to take some wisdom directly from Kobe himself and apply it to his game.
“Really, just don’t be a crybaby,” Kevin Durant said of Kobe Bryant’s advice. “I was at that age at 23 where I felt like the world revolved around me, and he was real humble with how he approached the game, how he approached his teammates, just life in general. So I just learned from watching his movements. He didn’t say much but he was an example just by how he moved and I try to emulate (that). Like I said, him and Michael (Jordan) are two dudes I emulate on and off the court what they do and it only made me better.”
Kevin Durant said it was “really cool” to hear Hornets HC Steve Clifford compare his preparation to Kobe Bryant’s.
KD when asked what he learned most from Kobe:
“Really, just don’t be a crybaby.” pic.twitter.com/yrbR9DMp4h
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 8, 2022
It’s fair to say that KD has put Kobe’s advice to good use. With career averages of 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game on 49.8% shooting, Durant is easily one of the top scorers in the league and his play on the Nets this season has vaulted him into MVP talks once again.
For Durant, his performance this season (and throughout his career) would be enough to make even Kobe proud, and that’s not something to take lightly.
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