Stephen Jackson Explains What Made Kobe Bryant a Special Player Which No One is Capable of Doing
Kobe Bryant had an incredible 20 year NBA career. People could see how talented he was from the very start, and even when he didn’t perform well, everyone recognized his abilities. However, it was not just his talent that set Kobe apart from other players. His tremendous determination to improve made him famous and appreciated by many.
On a recent episode of the ‘All the Smoke‘ podcast, former NBA player Stephen Jackson reflected on Kobe’s career and what made him a true legend in basketball.
Stephen Jackson calls Kobe Bryant an icon
“He had a hit list of all top players in our class. He was focused on being better and destroying them when he see them… as a teenager. I don’t know no other teenager that was playing basketball during our era that was thinking like that. We all were having fun, we wanted the new shoes. He was thinking about being the greatest basketball player of All-Time as a teenager. He was just different and his will to win and his will to be great, you can’t teach that and I don’t think you’ll ever see it again,” he said.
Tyrese asks Stak and Matt what Kobe was really like. ♾️
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Kobe Bryant really wanted to win, more than anyone else. Even though there were many great players who worked hard in the league, Kobe never allowed himself to be outworked. This motivated his teammates on the Lakers too. Now, people widely recognize Kobe for his strong determination, which helped him win five championships and become an All-Star 18 times. However, whether he is the greatest of all time or not is still a hotly debated topic.
Can Kobe be in the GOAT debate?
When we look at the achievements, Kobe doesn’t have as many as LeBron James, who just became the NBA’s top scorer of all time. However, Kobe made a big impact on the sport and even became the face of the entire league after winning championships with Shaq.
“When it comes to drive and determination after MJ, who was it? But no one likes to say it for some reason. Kobe taught people how to work hard. He gave you the blueprint of what you should do to be a successful basketball player. People tend to forget about it,” Patrick Beverley said.
Kobe was a winner who never gave up. He would lead his team to victory and ensure that everyone worked hard to achieve their full potential.
