“Kawhi Leonard is Amazing”: When Kobe Bryant Anointed The Klaw as His Successor in Changing the NBA

Kobe Bryant has long been considered to be the second coming of one of the greatest players of all time. To many, the Black Mamba is a carbon copy of Michael Jordan. The two have a lot in common, to the point where it’s almost alarming.

Their 6’6″ frames aside, both Jordan and Kobe had similar playing styles. Both men were high-volume scoring shooting guards, known for their killed mid-range shots. So, when MJ finally retired for good in 2003, the NBA wasn’t too worried. Why? Because they had another Jordan waiting in the wings in Kobe Bean Bryant.

However, in 2016, it was the latter who hung up his sneakers. And this time, the masses truly did wonder, who is the next Kobe? Well, the Mamba gave his input on his potential replacement, and in the midst of a host of different names, Kawhi Leonard stood out.

Kobe Bryant named Kawhi Leonard as the player to revolutionize the NBA

Kobe Bryant was the heart and soul of the NBA. His determination to be the best and the hard work he put in to be the best were infectious. And, it is one of the reasons he is remembered as one of the greats.

As an NBA superstar, the Black Mamba won five NBA Championships, and an MVP award, and made a number of All-Star, All-Defensive, and All-NBA teams. But, in 2016, after 20 seasons of wowing basketball fans around the world, Kobe called it quits.

His final season was a swan song, but his retirement left many questions unanswered. One of which was answered a year later, when Max a guest on the Jimmy Fallon Show asked the question everybody wanted to know. Who is the next Kobe Bryant? A tough one for Kobe, but he did have a few names on his mind, chief among them being Kawhi Leonard.

“Oh, well…let’s see. Well, Kawhi Leonard is amazing. Absolutely love Kawhi. I love James Harden. I love Russell Westbrook, but hopefully, they’ll take the game above and beyond anything that I’ve ever accomplished and continue to have the game get better and better and better. And, I think they will!”

It was an interesting take from Bryant. But, six years later and it does not look like there will ever be another version of him. No matter who he named as his successor.

Kobe once stated that James Harden would be “next” back in 2011

Over the years, plenty of superstars have been bequeathed the title, “the next Kobe Bryant”. But, few have actually done it justice. However, back in 2011, Kobe himself thought that one person would be “next” after him. As Tyson Chandler recalls, the Black Mamba named James Harden as the next big thing.

Be it Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, or Russell Westbrook. All three have gone on to achieve some amazing things, but none have lived up to the legacy left behind by the Black Mamba.