Every player has grown up idolizing someone in the league and they have tried to model their game after them. In most cases, these players are very well-known names that have inspired generations. But Paul George is a little bit different in that aspect. As a kid, PG used to idolize players with a good balance of quality, style, talent, and skills. During his recent appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, the nine-time All-Star named his favorite players, who he idolized as a kid.
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PG looked up to these players not only because he liked watching their game, but he wanted to model his own game after them. He learned the ABCs of basketball from his heroes. Therefore, George’s favorite players from his childhood are all Wings.
The first name on PG’s list will always be the late, great Kobe Bryant, who is his favorite player of all time. Apart from Kobe, he has a couple of rare names on his list of favorite role-models.
PG said during the podcast, “I used to love watching big wings, right. So, obviously Kobe is not necessarily a tall wing, but Kobe was my favorite player. But I loved watching T-Mac, I loved watching John Salmons, I loved watching Josh Howard.”
“Those used to inspire me, and people would be like, ‘Damn, why’d you like them!’ But it was just like they played both ends,” he added.
The primary quality in PG’s favorite players is that all of them were great all-around players. He said, “They were wings that could guard, could defend, but they could score too.”
He acknowledged that apart from Kobe and McGrady, the other two players weren’t as high profile or at the forefront of the league. But he was so amused by their style of playing the game that he wanted to be like them. And that’s probably how PG became one of the best two-way players in the league.
Kiyan Anthony, who was another guest on the show, pointed out how a lot of young people, including he and Brandon Miller, idolize PG’s game. And that surprises a lot of people because of George’s lack of accolades. But Kiyan pointed out how effortless the 76ers star’s game looks when he’s getting buckets.
Meanwhile, George added on to this sentiment to give an important lesson to the young hooper. He said that from an early age, it’s important for youngsters to look up to and idolize the players who they want to be like. For PG, that role was played by the four athletes that he mentioned.
