As his NBA career was winding down, many called Kobe Bryant the last of a dying breed. His competitiveness and unmatched desire to win was something that very few players in the history of the league had, and something that seemed to be disappearing in today’s NBA.
One player who does seem to have that fire that Kobe possessed is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, one of the most fierce players in the league.
Westbrook’s demeanor is something that did not go unnoticed by Kobe, and in an interview with Jim Rome of CBS Sports, Kobe singled out Westbrook as the player who reminds him most of himself:
“When I turn on the TV and I watch players play, the player that plays with the same kind of emotion and grit and competitive intensity is Russell [Westbrook],” Bryant said of the All-Star guard.