“Kobe Bryant’s DNA is embedded in us”: Kevin Durant explains why the Lakers legend was a god-like figure for him, Kyrie Irving and this NBA generation

Kevin Durant grew up idolising Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. The Brooklyn Nets star recently revealed how the Black Mamba’s aura was just like a god-like figure.

Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest players to have played in the league. His sheer competitive spirit and the crazy passion for being the best version of himself at any given time was what set him apart from his opponents. Bean dedicated uncountable hours in the gym to perfect his craft, helping him reach the pinnacle of the game. Because of this, Bryant is one of the most accomplished players of all time.

For over two long decades, the Black Mamba kept preaching his famous Mamba Mentality, while instilling the same mentality in all of his fans from around the world. For anyone who followed Kobe’s career would instantly get inspired by the various little things he would do, in order to be the best.

Being one of the hardest working guys, a lot of today’s NBA stars used to look up to Bean as their role model. The impact and influence the Mamba has on the sporting community are quite surreal.

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Night in and night out, for 20 whole years as a professional in the NBA, Kobe managed to play the game at the highest level giving it his all. The result? The 6-foot-6 shooting guard retired as an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 5-time NBA champ, 2-time Finals MVP, MVP and even got enshrined into the esteemed Hall-Of-Fame

“Kobe Bryant was always trying to teach and help the younger generation out”: Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant was one of the several professional athletes to have Kobe as a role model growing up. Even when KD set foot in the league, he often spoke about Bryant and how much he would idolise him.

Recently, the Brooklyn Nets forward spoke about Kobe and the impact the Mamba had on KD’s career. Durant also revealed how KB24 would graciously lookout for the younger generation players by helping them. On his Twitter Spaces, the current Team USA leader said:

“Being in the same locker room with him, like I competed against him like that same playoffs, and the way he won the championship too. So we had a different connection compared to a lot of other guys. You know, I played against him on that journey.

“His aura was just like a god-like figure… Like you see someone in the flesh who scored 81 points in an NBA game. It is hard to even speak around him. But he’s open and he was always trying to teach and help the younger generation out.”

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