Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is one of the few players remaining from the previous generation of NBA stars. Aside from Kobe, players like Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, and Dirk Nowitzki are still hanging around as well.
Nowitzki has continued to amaze this season as he has defied the critics by leading the Dallas Mavericks to the playoffs, but he has always enjoyed battling against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
As Kobe’s career is set to come to an end, Nowitzki spoke very highly of his contemporary, calling him the Michael Jordan of this generation via NBA.com:
“Like I said this entire time, he’s our Michael Jordan for my generation. He is one of the best to lace them up, and it’s been a pleasure and an honor to compete against him basically almost my entire career. I wish him nothing but the best for life after basketball.”
The comparisons to Michael Jordan have been ongoing throughout Kobe’s career, but Dirk is hardly the first person to call Kobe the Jordan of this generation. With his individual accolades, multiple championships, style on the court, and desire to win at all costs, the comparisons to Jordan make perfect sense.
The NBA as a whole won’t be the same once Kobe hangs it up for good and players like he and Dirk are the last of a dying breed. There is the ultimate respect between the two future Hall of Famers and Dirk’s words about Kobe are just another example of that.