In the world of basketball, the debate over the Greatest of All Time has been a never-ending saga. Be it over the talk shows or after the match interviews, everyone has always been put into the difficult situation of picking just one. Undoubtedly, Kobe Bryant is always on the list. Interestingly, he himself ended this debate years ago in his own unique style.
At Late Late Show, he boldly claimed to be the best of all, leaving the host and fans amused. In an attempt to do so, he placed his own legend in the second spot. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s friendship was one of the most iconic and prominent even in the last conversation the two had.
Every highlight play from each game during Kobe Bryant’s 40 point streak: pic.twitter.com/ZyE0YGRlwz
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The Black Mamba candidly said, “I’m the best, Michael’s the second best, LeBron’s third-best”. Notably, what makes this statement more intriguing is his own thoughts back in 2013.
“I don’t know. I hope so”, Bryant confessed to ESPN when questioned about whether he considered himself a Top-5 player. Kobe who couldn’t even place himself in the top 5 back then, boldly placed himself at the very top. The difference in these two statements is a testament to his unwavering determination and hard work.
Kobe Bryant placed himself at the top of the GOAT list
The journey of Kobe Bryant to NBA stardom was nothing short of remarkable. As a high school sensation, he entered the league with aspirations and never giving up attitude. From the very start, fans saw him becoming one of the greatest players ever.
The Lakers star transformed his dreams into reality, amassing five NBA championships, two scoring titles, a regular-season MVP award, and two NBA Finals MVPs. Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Kobe admitted, “If you would have told me that [I’d finish my career as one of the 10 best players ever] back then, I’d say you were nuts. Just nuts. It’s hard to believe”.
He indeed worked his way through while donning the Lakers jersey. Kobe’s 20-year journey in the NBA has been legendary. Fans still find ways to pay tribute to him, be it by saving the mural created or fighting against the building being Kobe’s. Even three years after his unfortunate death, the name of Kobe Bryant still makes it to headlines.
Furthermore, at the show, Corden, known for his playful antics, posed a choice to Kobe. That was to answer the question or take a bite of a cow’s tongue, a weird but fitting metaphor for the tongue-in-cheek conversation.
Kobe started his response with “You know what I’m going to answer, but I’m not going to answer it, because then everybody’s going to sit there and debate about it”. He continued by placing himself as the best, followed by Michael Jordan, and ultimately LeBron James.
Even amidst a situation that could have easily turned into an ugly controversy, Kobe with his sharp mind sprinkled humor and gave his iconic answer.