Everybody wants to be Kobe Bryant but if there’s one player that came close to the LA Lakers legend, team’s former player can name one guy – Kawhi Leonard.
Bryant is a dynamic scorer and Danny Green, who won the 2020 title with the Lakers, believes the Los Angeles Clippers star has the tools to surpass the five-time champion. However, his major problem is obvious. He never stayed healthy.
“Do I think he surpassed Kobe? No. Could he have? I think he had the tools too. If he stayed healthy he was one of the best two way players I’ve seen play the game,” Green said through Byron Scott’s podcast.
“He hasn’t won as much. Kobe has 5 rings. Played for 20 years. Kawhi has played half that time. As body of work, there’s no comparison at all… Kawhi is a top 75 player in our league because of what he can do.”
Leonard currently has two rings and two finals MVP. He has two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, something the Black Mamba does not have.
Kawhi Leonard should have stayed with Toronto
Green played with Leonard in Toronto Raptors and together they won the 2019 title by dismantling the Golden State Warriors dynasty. They also won their first championship when they played together for the San Antonio Spurs
It was Kawhi’s first season and there and with the run that they have, it was expected of him to stay in Canada. However, it did not happen.
Green thinks Leonard could have caught up to Kobe’s legacy if only he stayed with the Raptors.
“If he would’ve continued that (Toronto) run, he would’ve had to continue that run for 10 years to catch Kobe. Kobe scored 81, I’ve seen him score 60 in 3 quarters a couple times, not many people cared about the game like Kobe did,” Green continued.
“There’s a very few group of guys you can put in the category of very obsessed with the game that also had the talent and skills to be great and that’s Kobe, LeBron, MJ. Kawhi is very good player, but nah he’s not Kobe category.”
Leonard is 34 years old now and chasing Kobe may be out of the equation already. His Clippers are supposed to be contenders but they experienced rock bottom this season and are only finding their right form halfway through.
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