Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players to ever step foot on an NBA court and there are many in the league today who took inspiration from the Los Angeles Lakers legend. Coincidentally, one of the biggest stars who is a well-known Kobe fan is the star of the Lakers’ biggest rival, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
Tatum has never been shy about his love and admiration for Bryant and even was able to work with the icon one summer and incorporate some of those skills into his game. While the argument for the greatest player in NBA history tends to boil down to Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James, there are many who put Kobe in that category as well with Tatum being one of them.
The Celtics star recently appeared on Inside the NBA on TNT and when asked what makes Kobe Bryant his GOAT, Tatum spoke to the way the Lakers legend inspired so many people around the world just with his unbelievable work ethic:
“For me, it’s the inspiration thing. The way he inspired people. The way he inspired somebody that was 2,000 miles away that I had never met. Just watching him on TV, watching his interviews, watching how hard he worked, the ups and downs of his career. From 2,000 miles away me seeing myself in him. Wanting to achieve my dream and chase my goal and work as hard as I did because he did those things. How many kids and how many people he inspired throughout the world. And not to say the other best players didn’t, but for me the inspiration factor is the biggest reason why I’m here today.”
Nearly everyone who ever teamed or worked with Bryant has some sort of story of his mindset and his desire to out-work everybody. The way Kobe pushed himself is inspiring to people in all walks of life, not just basketball, but in Tatum’s case it was everything he needed to push himself to his own greatness.
The legend of Kobe will never die as it lives on through players like Tatum who represent everything that made him a true Lakers icon.
Dejounte Murray shouts out Lakers legend Kobe Bryant after taking 44 shots in a game
One thing Kobe Bryant was never afraid to do was to take however many shots he felt was necessary in order to win the game. Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray got that message as he took 44 shots in the Hawks overtime win over the Celtics.
After the contest, Murray shouted out the Lakers legend, saying that while he doesn’t want to take that many shots, he knows Kobe would be proud of him for hitting the game-winner.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
