The first thing any rookie looks to do when entering the NBA is earn respect. Earning the respect of their peers and coaches is important. However, it means the world to a young player if respect was given by a legend of the sport like Kobe Bryant. Damian Lillard was no different.
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The problem is that impressing the Black Mamba isn’t easy. The man was the second coming of Michael Jordan and the best player in the league at one time.
This is why his lavish praise for Damian Lillard was surprising, but not unfounded. Dame Time came and left its mark on the Mamba.
Also Read: Kobe Bryant Chose This $600 Million Superstar over Manu Ginobili as Argentina’s Greatest Athlete
Kobe Bryant was very impressed by rookie Damian Lillard’s performance against his LA Lakers
Not everyone gets to wow an NBA audience. Only a select few are given that privilege, and an even smaller group get to impress NBA legends.
Well, Damian Lillard did just that in his rookie season when he took on Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers. Dame dropped 23 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed three rebounds as he came away with both the win and Kobe’s respect back in 2012.
“That boy is serious, man. He’s not afraid of anything. He’s got the whole package – the three ball, the midrange, can go all the way to the rim. We just had to go get him and say, ‘The hell with it. Let’s go trap him.’”
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It was after their first meeting that the Black Mamba knew that Lillard was a serious baller. However, he refused to be outdone.
Despite the loss, Bryant outscored the young Dame with 30 points and six rebounds on the night. You may impress the Mamba, but it takes much more than that to get one over him.
Damian Lillard compared himself to Michael Jordan, sent a message about a missing Pippen
Dame, as we know it, is not only a ‘killa’ on the court, but even behind the microphone. His Rap persona, ‘Dame Dolla’ is a huge hit, and has several albums out. Currently, while he’s leading Portland to one of their best starts, he also dropped a new single titled Raid.
In the song, we could hear Dame drop a bar having the lyrics,
“Jordan type of alpha but you know I need a Pippen”
This could mean two things. Either Dame is claiming he needs a Pippen to his MJ, or he found a Pippen. Either way, he’s comparing himself to the biggest Alpha in the game, and he better live up to that comparison.
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