Lakers Offseason: Kyrie Irving Feels Like Young Kobe Bryant Via Instagram
By Eric Yee
Kyrie Irving has done his best to channel former Lakers’ guard, Kobe Bryant‘s mindset ever since winning the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors
Just like there will never be another Michael Jordan, the odds of finding a player exactly the same as Lakers’ legend, Kobe Bryant is slim to none, but that hasn’t stopped players from emulating either of them.
After winning the NBA Finals just a few days ago, Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard, Kyrie Irving revealed that all he was thinking about down the stretch in the back of his mind was a Kobe saying: Mamba Mentality.
Seeing how they play different positions and even their style of play is different, the comparison is often overlooked but the work ethic, desire to be great and confidence under pressure is obviously all there.
Winning the Finals exactly one week ago, Kyrie wants fans to know that the Mamba is still on his mind, posting one of my favorite basketball pictures of all time.
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Taken after the Los Angeles Lakers had just won their second consecutive championship against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001, this photo emulates exactly what Kobe Bryant represents to me.
The Lakers had just slashed their way through the Playoffs going 15-1, winning the Finals against an Allen Iverson led squad and there Kobe sits in the showers, still drenched in champagne, unimpressed. Even at the very top of the mountain, there is no complacency in his eyes.
With Kyrie’s posting of this picture it seems that he is of a similar mindset and his outstanding play in the NBA Finals speaks to this directly.
The Lakers hope that they have found their own Kobe disciple in their young core of players and they will begin to find that out in July come Summer League.
Next: Zach Auguste Joins Lakers for Summer League
As for now, we can only hope that a little bit of his greatness rubbed off on his young counterparts.