For Jamal Crawford, Kobe Bryant is the only player close to Michael Jordan.
Crawford spent a legendary 20-year career in the NBA and played against the Black Mamba 28 times in the league. He believes that he is the only player who pursues greatness like Jordan. This makes Kobe the best basketball player in the world.
In an earlier interview, Crawford, who has 1.6 million followers, sent flowers to Bryant while talking about Jordan and players who have been compared to the Chicago Bulls legend.
“They never let you down. They always go for it. A lot of people have been compared to MJ over the years, but to me, Kobe was the one who really went after it head-on and embraced it.” It was like, “Oh no, I’m going to be the greatest.” I think Jordan liked that about him.
“I said that when Kobe was playing in my pro-am game. To me, he’s the Michael Jordan of this generation. Kobe is the best player I’ve ever played against.”
At his peak, Kobe was nearly unstoppable. The late Los Angeles Lakers legend won two consecutive scoring titles, averaging 35.4 points per game in the 2005-06 season and 31.6 points per game the following year. He was named to the All-Defensive team both seasons, which shows that he can perform well on both ends of the floor.
Kobe spent 20 years in his career with the Lakers, averaging 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. He won five championships for his efforts, won the MVP in 2008, and was named to the All-Defensive team 12 times.
He may have one less trophy than Michael Jordan, but his storied career has cemented his place in the pantheon of greats.
Jamal Crawford explains why Kobe Bryant is so special
In another interview, Jamal Crawford revealed what makes Kobe Bryant special. Quite simply, it was the winning attitude that Kobe brought to the game every time he took the court.
On FanDuel, Crawford talked about why the Mamba is a beast on the court.
“Guarding him is unique. He’s literally the best player I’ve ever played against. He has no fear.
“He can go 1-for-15 and think he’s sexy. His work ethic, his skills. When you know you’re going to play him, he wants to steal your heart, but you lost sleep the night before. “
Kobe was probably the closest thing to Michael Jordan. After all, his impersonation of the Bulls legend is well-documented, and it works pretty well.
It’s a shame he’s no longer here, but there’s no doubt that Kobe Bryant was one of them.