Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love reflected on the life of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on Monday.
Like many have said in the past, Love called Bryant Michael Jordan 2.0:
“He’s just so much more than a basketball player to many,” Kevin Love said, via Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. “He transcended the sport, he transcended the game, and he’s an icon. He brought the game to where it is today, and for people that grew up with (Michael) Jordan, he was the next phase. He was 2.0.”
Bryant passed away on Sunday in a terrible helicopter crash. Eight other people died in the crash, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
In 1,346 career games for the Lakers, Bryant cemented himself as an all-time great. He finished his illustrious NBA career with averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard was an 18-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, 15-time All-NBA team member, two-time Finals MVP and five-time champion.
Bryant is the fourth-leading scoring in NBA history after LeBron James passed him on the all-time scoring list on Saturday, just a day before his stunning and devastating death. LeBron has yet to react to Kobe’s passing, but a video of a grieving James walking off the Lakers’ team plane was released on Sunday.
The Lakers retired Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and 24 jerseys last year. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as part of an incredible class when inductees are announced later this year.
Follow Us
Subscribe