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

1. Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)

The reigning NBA Finals MVP is arguably the best player in the world right now, and at the level he’s playing, Kawhi Leonard is arguably the most similar to a prime Kobe Bryant.

Leonard won’t drop 50 or 60 points on you — his career-high is 45 in one game — but he can consistently get buckets in bunches. This season he’s averaging career-highs 27.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He recently put together a streak of nine games in which he scored 30-plus points.

Like Kobe, Leonard doesn’t butter his bread beyond the 3-point arc or as a slasher. Don’t slack up on him or he will stick threes and dunk on you. But Leonard focuses on mastering the art of mid-range scoring, with a potent turnaround and pull-up jumper.

Like Kobe, Leonard can pass and rebound, but he’s not really a prolific playmaker and stat-stuffer. Leonard just recently notched his first career triple-double when he posted 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Heat on Jan. 24.

Like Kobe, Leonard shines defensively. He is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. When he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014 as the No. 4 offensive option on the Spurs behind their veteran “Big 3,” it was mainly due to his defensive effort against LeBron. Leonard did a lot to prevent the best player on the floor from taking over the series.

Like Kobe, Leonard won early in his career in a supporting role, then flourished and proved himself as a champion when it was his turn to lead. He picked up his second title and Finals MVP as the No. 1 guy on the Raptors last year.

Like Kobe, Leonard plays with a no-nonsense demeanor and ever-present calm in the most high-pressure situations.

Like Kobe, Leonard is attempting to combine those elements and bring more championship banners to the Staples Center, the building in which “Black Mamba” will forever be revered.