"Closest, to me, as a Michael-like player" - 9x All-Star dubs Kobe Bryant "last of kind" after Lakers legend played with serious injury
Late LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has long drawn comparisons to Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan. Many have highlighted their similar offensive playstyles and competitive mindsets. However, according to Atlanta Hawks great Dominique Wilkins, Bryant's willingness to play through injuries made him the most Jordan-like.
During his prime, Wilkins faced off against Jordan numerous times, engaging in several epic battles. However, during the tail end of his career, he also got a few opportunities to match up against a then-young Bryant.
On the "All The Smoke" podcast Thursday, Wilkins was asked to "compare and contrast" the two legends. The nine-time All-Star raved about his respect for Bryant, citing his rare approach to the game. Wilkins also recounted a commendatory message he gave the Hall of Famer during his final season (2015-16).
"I love Kobe. Kobe's an old-school throwback with a new-school twist," Wilkins said. "I remember when he was leaving his last game in Atlanta, and I went in the locker room afterward. I said, 'Man, I love the way you played the game, you never made excuses, you played hurt. You're the last of our kind. When you leave, the last of our kind leaves with it.'"
According to Wilkins, Bryant expressed gratitude, with the former reiterating his stance. The Hawks icon highlighted Bryant extending his career to 20 seasons after suffering a torn Achilles in 2013, likening him to Jordan.
The Bulls legend rarely missed games, playing all 82 contests in nine of 15 seasons and 80-plus games in 11 of 15 campaigns.
"[Bryant] looked at me, he said, 'Man, that really means a lot coming from you because a lot of the legends have told me that,'" Wilkins said. "I said, 'It's true, man. I mean, you played really on a bad Achilles, which, nobody's gonna do that.' He's the closest, to me, as a Michael-like player ever."
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Kobe Bryant wanted to play through torn Achilles
As Dominique Wilkins noted, Kobe Bryant returned from Achilles surgery to play parts of three seasons from 2013 to 2016. According to Bryant, he also wanted to play through his torn Achilles immediately after suffering the injury against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2013.
After falling on a drive and grimacing as he held his ankle, Bryant famously got up and converted two clutch game-tying free throws before exiting. The five-time NBA champion later recounted that he wanted to finish the game to help his team secure a late-season victory.
"When I first did it, right there, I was trying to feel if the tendon was there or if it was gone," Bryant said. "I realized it wasn’t there. I was literally trying to pull the tendon up, so hopefully I could walk and kind of hobble through the last two and a half minutes and try to play."
While Kobe Bryant never returned to being an MVP-caliber player post-injury, his resiliency seemingly resonated with fans, increasing his illustrious career's aura.
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