Kobe Bryant is a man widely considered to be the greatest LA Laker of all time. The Black Mamba was a Laker lifer, playing for the purple and gold from 1996 to 2016. A 20-year career that saw him ascend to legendary status.
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In his time with the Lakers, Kobe won an MVP, and five NBA Championships, and even made several All-Star and All-NBA teams. He is one of the best to ever step onto a hardwood floor. There can be no denying that.
But, given the 76-year history of the Lakers, is Kobe really the greatest to ever play for them? Well, despite being hailed as the greatest, Bryant thinks otherwise. In fact, he would rather bestow that title onto one of his LA idols, Magic Johnson.
Kobe Bryant once claimed that Magic Johnson and not him was the greatest LA Laker of all time
The LA Lakers have had many great talents pass through their ranks over the years. The likes of George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal are but a few.
However, the two players that are undoubtedly considered to be the greatest are Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. Both men wowed the LA faithful for years, and the debate as to who is the GOAT Laker has raged on because of it.
But, what do the men in question have to say about this? On one hand, Johnson stated in his autobiography that the Black Mamba is the greatest. And, on the other hand, Kobe on Jimmy Kimmel Live conceded the title to him, and his reasons for doing so are just. After all, he claims he “stole” and “learned” so much from Magic.
“I grew up watching Magic, and I’ve learned so much from him. I can’t say that I’m the greatest Laker ever, to me he is. To keep it real with you, I’ve stolen so much from him, that my game wouldn’t be complete without him!”
If he isn’t the greatest, he certainly is the most humble. At the end of the day, both the contributions of Magic and Kobe to the Lakers organization cannot be denied.
Magic Johnson has been immortalized outside the Staples Center and Kobe soon will be
The LA Lakers are a franchise known for acknowledging the efforts of their players. And, when it comes to their greats, the organization goes above and beyond. All you have to do is see the statues outside the Staples Center that have immortalized the likes of Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Chick Hearn, and Magic Johnson. An elite group, that Kobe Bryant will soon join as Jeanie Buss revealed.
“Those are all things we are discussing internally. Rest assured, we haven’t forgotten anything. But it has to be done the right way and at the right time.”
It will be a moment to remember. And one, that there can be no denying is well-deserved. Especially since this is Kobe Bean Bryant we are talking about.
