Kobe Bryant has always been a model for other NBA players, and he certainly had many that admired him. During his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant showed an extraordinary work ethic, continuously bettering himself as a player and as a locker room leader. He was a proven winner, being part of 5 NBA championships, and winning two Finals MVPs. There is no question that his legacy will live on, and he’ll always be a hero to many people around the world.
A player that has some of that mentality is the recent addition to the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell Westbrook. Anyone who’s seen Russell Westbrook play knows he gives everything to the team while he’s on the court, and he has received glowing reviews from his past teammates. Russell Westbrook and Kobe Bryant both have a connection to Los Angeles and were close with one another. In a recent media appearance, Russell Westbrook revealed that he has spoken to Kobe Bryant about being a Laker in the past, and stated that the understanding gained from those conversations will be with him in the future.
Russell Westbrook on talking to Kobe Bryant in the past about one day being a Laker. pic.twitter.com/gwfGiKsloH
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 10, 2021
Things that we talked about, me and him, just the potential of me being a Laker and understanding what that entails. It’s just crazy to think about. That’ll be with me every time I put that Laker jersey on.
Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to win the championship this season, and they are certainly one of the favorites. The amount of talent on the team is immense, and hopefully, they rise up to the challenge. The conditions are there for Russell Westbrook to succeed: the Los Angeles Lakers added many great 3PT shooters in free agency, and Westbrook is an absolute menace with a spaced-out floor. With the addition of Westbrook, it is quite possible that the Lakers will bounce back from their first-round exit, and perhaps we’ll see Westbrook take the team to the next level.
