The Los Angeles Lakers starter isn't one to refrain from speaking his mind, especially on the cusp of a defining contest. The lead-up into the epic battle between Los Angeles and the Miami Heat proved to be no different.
In a lengthy interview with ESPN.com's Chris Palmer, Bryant touched upon a little bit of everything, including the comparisons made between him and Michael Jordan:
I appreciated them but after a while it just got old. They eventually faded away because I was putting together my own identity. But I’ll never forget how much I learned from MJ. I got so much from him. I knew what he did, I knew his moves and I used them. But for me the comparisons didn’t work because our situations were totally different. I came straight out of high school and played with a dominant big in Shaquille. Man, I was so young when I got to the NBA. What was I like 17? I mean, 17! The more you think about it, my situation was completely different than MJ’s so the comparisons were just, you know, I stopped paying attention to them.
Kobe's assertion that he was put in an entirely different situation than Jordan (he was) implies that a once frequent display of self-praise is on the way. But it isn't.
After touching upon His Airness, Palmer asked Bryant if he thought he was a top-five player, and the Mamba was nothing but humble:
I don’t know. I hope so. I’ve still got a little time left, but honestly I haven’t thought a whole bunch about legacy and that kind of stuff. I just feel like there will be plenty of time for that.
There's no question Bryant considers himself a top-five player, though. He's never shied away from dubbing himself the best, and for a guy who never yielded...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
