“Killer Instinct”: Hawks Legend Proclaimed Kobe Bryant to be the Closest to Michael Jordan, Crowned Him the Last of the ‘Tough Era’

Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins recently appeared on VladTV to talk about the late Kobe Bryant. Claiming the Lakers legend to be the last of “their kind,” Wilkins claimed that he was highly emotional when he heard the news about his death. Talking about Bryant, he claimed that Kobe was the closest player he had seen to Michael Jordan with respect to his style, killer instinct, and ability to push people around him. Wilkins made the claims during part 26 of his interview series, released on September 10.

The Hawks’ legend, known to be a close friend of Kobe, also revealed that Bryant was once boasting about Wilkins’ career in front of his daughter. The two had a conversation just two weeks before Bryant’s death took place on 26 January 2020.

Dominique Wilkins was highly emotional when he heard news of Kobe Bryant’s death

Wilkins revealed that he was on his way to a Hawks game when he heard about the news. It was his son, who told him about Kobe Bryant’s passing. This led to the Hawks legend pulling over on a highway for an hour:

“I was going to the game actually. I remember my son called me, said, he’s gone. I am like, ‘What are you talking about? Kobe is gone.’ I was like, ‘Don’t play like that man.’ I remember getting off the phone I called down to the office and I said, ‘y’all hear this news with Kobe?’ And they said it’s true. I pulled the car over on the I-20 I remember it was like yesterday, I did not move for an hour. I just talked to him two weeks ago, and it was almost like it was yesterday.”

Brya‌nt made a huge impact on many lives, and was the proponent of what he called the “Mamba mentality.” An elite warrior, Wilkins claimed that Kobe was the closest player he had seen to Michael Jordan:

“Kobe, he was like the last of our kind you know? That guy that always played, no matter what. I told him, after his last game in Atlanta. I think about the conversation we had, and still surreal that he is gone. Yes Sir, that killer instinct, the style, his ability to push everybody around him to that next level, yeah for sure.”

Considering Bryant actively modeled his game after the Bulls’ legend, similarities between the two were always inevitable. Kobe created his own legacy for the Lakers franchise and was part of arguably the NBA’s greatest duo alongside Shaquille O’Neal.

Dominique Wilkins named Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as his NBA GOATs

Wilkins recently also had his say on his overall NBA GOAT. Comparing the likes of Kobe Bryant and his idol MJ, Wilkins claimed that only people who have actually played against them know how good they were.

The Hawks legend claimed that he didn’t buy into comparisons between great players. However, he went on to say that both players were lethal and didn’t care who they were up against.

Wilkins also ended up another modern legend, while talking about his GOATs in the form of LeBron James. While he himself never played against James, Wilkins knew more than enough about both MJ and Kobe Bryant.