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“People are yelling Mamba Mentality from their mama’s house”: Devin Booker is frustrated with constantly being compared to Kobe Bryant

Samir Mehdi
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“People are yelling Mamba Mentality from their mama’s house”: Devin Booker is frustrated with constantly being compared to Kobe Bryant

Devin Booker, following a win over the Indiana Pacers, claimed that he was not appreciative of the constant Kobe Bryant comparisons 

Kobe Bryant and Devin Booker had a special relationship with one another. D-Book entered the league during the Lakers legend’s final season in the NBA and the comparisons between the two began almost immediately. 

Sure, both are 6’6 shooting guards who tend to operate in the mid-post and the mid-range but this comparison became detrimental for Booker quite rapidly. Any time Devin Booker had a game that wasn’t up to the mark, NBA fans compared him to Kobe, claiming Booker was not like him despite D-Book never once claiming he was.

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The comparisons weren’t mainstream until the Phoenix Suns’ run to the 2021 NBA Finals, where he, more or less, had a stellar Playoffs for his first time being there. 

Booker actually had a monumentally greater Finals series for his first time when compared to Kobe’s 2000 Finals against the Pacers. Book averaged 28.2 points on 45.5% shooting while the ‘Black Mamba’ had 15.6 points on 36% from the field. 

Devin Booker has had it with the Kobe Bryant comparisons. 

Following the Suns’ win over the Pacers last night, Devin Booker was asked about recent ‘feud’ with the Raptors mascot. This question eventually delved into NBA fans online and their perception of him, to which Book said: 

“The only problem I have is people still comparing me to Kobe Bryant. I told them in the Playoffs, stop bringing up Mamba Mentality. I’m inspired by Kobe Bryant and Mamba Mentality, but I am not Kobe Bryant. People are yelling Mamba mentality from their mama’s house. I’ll leave you with that.” 

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Suffice to say that Devin Booker isn’t with any of the comparisons between himself and Kobe Bryant. Quite the mature answer from the Suns youngster. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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