Lakers News: Stephen A Smith Makes Pick For Kobe Bryant’s Current Star Comparison

Not the first time he's come up in the discussion.

Though many have tried to stop debates on who his successor might be, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has left a mark on many players who are trying to live up to his legacy. 

Recently, popular ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith mentioned one name in the current that's been brought up before that could eventually live up to the lifetime Laker. 

Stephen A on who has the closest mentality to Kobe Bryant:

“Devin Booker.. Jimmy Butler works but the difference between Jimmy Butler and Devin Booker is Jimmy Butler doesn’t care that much about offense until the postseason arrives, Kobe cared about it all the time.”

“They… pic.twitter.com/rLFwFpj9Kg

— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) September 5, 2023

It's quite an easy comparison to make between the two shooting guards, but there's great reason why it's been made constantly as Booker has ascended the ranks as one of the best players in the NBA. 

After years without a playoff appearance despite his best efforts in the 2020 bubble, a trade that gave the Suns guard Chris Paul completely reinvigorated Booker in playing for bigger stakes. 

In Paul's first season with the team, he paired with Booker to reach the NBA Finals for the backcourt's collective first trip to basketball's biggest stage. 

Dropping the series to the Bucks and fellow Kobe mentee Giannis Antetokounmpo in six games, Booker and Paul rallied back with a great 2022 campaign that similarly ended in heartbreak, this time to Luka Doncic in the Mavs in the 2nd round. 

After an exit in 2023 at the hands of Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, Bradley Beal joins Booker and Kevin Durant to make a scary new big three in the West. 

Booker's game of mid range mastery and smooth dribble moves have caught the eyes of many across the league and the former Wildcat has been dubbed one of the NBA's best talents by many measures. 

Though missing the championship hardware that Kobe was famous for, Booker will hope to make good on ring #1 in what could be a long and fruitful career in Phoenix similarly to Bryant's in LA. 

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