“Kobe Bryant was on par with Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson”: When Gregg Popovich lauded the Lakers legend by comparing him to all-time legends

According to Gregg Popovich, Kobe Bryant was one of the few all-time greats that every coach wished to have worked with.

Kobe Bryant is easily one of the best basketball players to ever grace the NBA. The Black Mamba will always be known as one of the most impactful players to step on the hardwood.

Bean not only inspired an entire generation of athletes but also managed to implant his famous “Mamba Mentality” way of life, in the minds of his millions of fans.

Kobe surely had one of the best careers during his era, with one overly-stacked resume after the conclusion of his 20-year-long career. His unparalleled work ethic and strive to be the best at any moment is what set him apart from the rest.

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San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was one of many figures who was left in awe of The Mamba.

“Kobe Bryant had a really phenomenal competitiveness”: Gregg Popovich

A few years ago, during Bryant’s jersey retirement time, Popovich spoke some kind words for the shooting guard. The Spurs head coach revealed how Kobe was one of the few players who every coach in the world would want an opportunity to coach.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Kobe Bryant having jersey No. 8, 24 retired: ““Kobe is one of those guys that every coach in the world says, ‘That would have been great to have an opportunity to coach that guy.’ That’s the best thing I can say about him. It says everything.”

— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) December 19, 2017

Coach Pop further went on to compare the HOFer’s greatness to other legends such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. Further praising his competitiveness, the then-68-year-old said:

“One of the greatest players of all time. It’s not just his talent or his physical skills. His mind was on par with Michael and Larry and Magic, guys like that. They thought the game, they knew what was going on.”

“And then on top of that, he had a really phenomenal competitiveness. So it’s not just the talent. It’s the mind and the grit, the guts, the who he is and the way he wanted to compete night after night, which is what made him Kobe Bryant.”

Throughout his career, Kobe averaged a staggering 23.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 61 games against Popovich and co.

Also Read: When Kobe Bryant was livid at the cost of cereal during his Lakers rookie season

It is absolutely heartwarming to see Gregg shower love on a man who prevented him from winning many more titles.