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8 NBA players who will remind you of Kobe Bryant this season

By Amaar Burton

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers share a laugh during their game at Staples Center on January 13, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers share a laugh during their game at Staples Center on January 13, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Kobe Bryant, NBA
(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

Kobe Bryant earned his place in history as an unforgettable performer. His legacy lives on in the NBA today through the talents of a few special players.

Among the criticisms that nit-picking NBA fans and media bestowed upon Kobe Bryant, one that I never understood was the allegation that the Los Angeles Lakers legend was a “copycat” of Michael Jordan — as if that was a bad thing.

First of all, if you’re going to model your style of play after someone, it’s a good idea to model it after someone who is widely considered the greatest player the NBA has ever seen. Kobe Bryant, whose death in a helicopter accident on Jan. 26 shocked the world and transcended sports, was never shy in expressing his adoration of Jordan as a role model.

Second, there are only so many things a person can do on a basketball court. Hardly anything is wholly original, meaning almost everything is copied or borrowed or stolen from a predecessor.

Finally, considering the countless number of young men and women who aspired to “be like Mike,” the fact that Kobe Bryant did it so well and got so close to the holy grail is a testament to his greatness. To say Kobe was a Jordan clone should be a compliment, not an insult.

Related Story. 10 best point guards in Lakers history. light

Just like Jordan influenced him, Kobe Bryant has influenced a generation of players — some of whom are currently shining in the NBA this season.

While there is no one in the league who is an exact replica of Kobe, there are some stars who have pieces of Kobe’s game in theirs. They are the ones who carry on the legacy of Kobe, who retired in 2016 and will posthumously enter the Basketball Hall of Fame with the 2020 class.

In honor of the man whose No. 8 jersey (and No. 24 jersey) hangs in the rafters at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, here are eight current NBA players who will remind you of Kobe Bryant this season.