I like Kobe, I like the way he approaches the game. He’s a warrior.
But I don’t look forward to the day that Kobe Bryant’s not in purple and gold.
Kevin Garnett was a great player, but he wasn’t Kobe Bryant.
I can’t play like Kobe, man. There’s only one Kobe.
I grew up watching Kobe Bryant.
It was great to be in the gym with Kobe. He’s so particular about the game and… why and how things work. That’s one thing I kind of love about him. If you ask him something, he’s going to tell you A, B, C, and D, and how that affects each play.
Kobe Bryant is one of those guys I never imagined being on the same court with. It was always an aspiration.
Kobe was, other than my parents, he was the reason why I played sports. Just his mindset, the Mamba mentality.
There’s no doubt that there is star treatment. It’s discussed in the meetings. Obviously, people don’t pay an enormous amount of money to sit in those courtside seats to see players like Kobe, LeBron, Shaq – all the greats – sit on the bench and be in foul trouble.
To have Kobe retire as a Laker, that to me is really important.
I’m a fan of Kobe and LeBron. People always try to make me pick one or the other, but I think they’re both great. They both deliver.
It was a lovely story that I finished my career with Kobe, with somebody who I was traded for. I have a lot of respect for the guy. I think he’s definitely, by far, the best talent that I ever, ever played with.
Kobe is part of the Laker family and he always will be. There’s not many players who play 18-19 years with the same franchise, and it’s important to us that he has a chance to play his entire career with the Lakers.
If you mention the Lakers, you think about Kobe.
Kobe Bryant is my favorite basketball player. He takes risks. He goes for the shot. He isn’t cautious with whatever he does.
Making it to the league, that was my dream. But my mom saw to it that we watched our share of the WNBA too. Greatness is greatness, right?? And as much as I learned about that from seeing Kobe win his rings… I also learned about it from seeing Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie win theirs.
Kobe Bryant, to me, is still the best basketball player in my mind. He played with me and he was in my era. I still love him to death. He’s a little brother to me.
I love the Kobe 1s, but they’re heavy. But I love the way they feel.
Kobe was my favorite player from just the way he went about competition. He was so skilled, but his mindset and his approach were really what I took away from him more than anything. How tactical, passionate and detailed he is about the game – he really loved the game.
Do you know how many teams have won three straight titles over the last 40 years? Two. Michael Jordan’s Bulls twice in the 1990s and Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers from 2000-02. LeBron would have joined that list had Miami won that third straight title.
Everyone ‘watches Kobe when the Lakers play.
I don’t really celebrate victories. Kobe Bryant just kept playing. Michael Jordan just kept playing.
I might not be Shaq, but I can be Kobe, you know?
Kobe can play in any league.
Kobe is probably an idol for so many players. He was such a great player so you wanted to be like Kobe. He’s a legend that never dies.
Michael, to me, he was an assassin. He was one of those guys that prepared himself extremely well and was relentless in his attacking. And there are a few guys who have that mentality. I think Kobe Bryant has that type of mentality, and LeBron has that type of mentality.
In my head, I’m a big Kobe fan.
I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan, I only want to be Kobe Bryant.
Kobe enjoys that situation. Stepping up and making the big basket or being involved in a key play.
Part of the reason why Kobe Bryant is such a big inspiration to me is because he was shipped off to the Lakers right out of high school. He went from English class to the Great Western Forum.
Huge Kobe fan growing up. My dog’s name is Kobe.
When I got traded to the Lakers in ’97, Kobe Bryant was just a rookie.
When you played Kobe, it was something different. When you went to L.A., you made sure your shoes were tied extra tight. You made sure you got sleep, you made sure you ate better. He just made you better.
Having Kobe doing an entire video with me was awesome. I’d love to do that again, that was legit.
The best quality about Kobe Bryant? You want me to be honest? I don’t know. I’ll tell you why. I open my arms to everybody. But he never stepped forward for the embrace. So I never really got to know him. I don’t know anything about him, and it’s kinda sad.
Kobe is a unique individual and he is very headstrong.
If you’ve got a teammate around you, you know sometimes they’re going to score, sometimes you’re going to pass the ball or you won’t win games – unless you’re Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. And even then, they need a good team around them.
On the nights the Lakers played, I wouldn’t miss a second of the game. Every timeout, every commercial, I’d run to the front yard to imitate my favorite Laker, Kobe.
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