The Los Angeles Lakers have won 17 championships and many conference titles, and the team is still able to maintain its relevance in the league. However, if we talk about the players with whom the legendary point guard of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant, played along, then it turns out that most of them have retired.
In a recent Twitter post on December 4, 2023, the “Lakers Lead” floated a tweet about the only four active players who shared the hardwood alongside Kobe. The four players are Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, and Larry Nance Jr. The tweet read, “CRAZY BUT TRUE: These 4 are the ONLY Kobe Bryant teammates left in the NBA.”
CRAZY BUT TRUE: These 4 are the ONLY Kobe Bryant teammates left in the NBA 🐍♾️ pic.twitter.com/qcaVNISpjJ
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) December 4, 2023
While Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington, and Lou Williams were the most recent teammates to call it quits, the list is getting shorter and shorter. However, this list of four definitely points to the time when Kobe hit his 60th point in the final game back in 2016 and the baby Lakers hugged him.
Randle is ruling the floor with his versatility as a forward, shuffling between the positions of a power forward and center for the New York Knicks. Clarkson still seems to be an underrated player given his elite floater game and unpredictable moves for defenders. While D’Lo is back with the Lakers, Larry Nance Jr. is thriving with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Although most of Kobe’s teammates have climbed up the ladder of achievements, “#Employee 88” is still talked about as the best point guard in NBA history, even four years after the tragic helicopter crash.
Why is Kobe Bryant still ranked as the best point guard in the NBA?
Kobe Bryant was ranked No. 4 on the “All-Time NBA Leaders” list in terms of points scored. Surpassing Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal, the ex-star guard of the Lakers is still relevant for aspiring basketball players.
His ability to hit tough, contested shots and the carefully examined footwork of his idol, Michael Jordan, took him to a point where he could attack opponents in many different ways. Not only that, Jordan himself claimed that Bryant could beat him in a one-on-one because he later copied all his moves.