KOBE Bryant recently named the toughest opponents he faced in his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Baxter Holmes, a reporter who covers the Lakers for ESPN, recently tweeted the top five players who gave Bryant the greatest challenges.
Top five players Kobe says he has faced: Olajuwon, MJ, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Clyde Drexler. Adds that it’s hard to pick just five.
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) December 21, 2015
Michael Jordan and LeBron James were obvious picks on Bryant’s short-list. Many observers have compared Kobe’s game (particularly his jump shot) and on-court tenacity with those of the Chicago Bulls legend. In LeBron’s case, many basketball fans have engaged in spirited debates as to who is the better player.
Kevin Durant joined James as among the active players in the Black Mamba and the only one who still has to win an NBA championship.
Rounding up the group were Hakeem Olajuwon, the only big man in the group, and fellow Phi Slama Jama alumni Clyde Drexler.
En route to five NBA titles it can be argued that there were several names exBryant, who is set to retire at the end of the current season, said “it’s hard to pick just five.”
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