3. Damian Lillard – Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is undoubtedly one of the most unique talents in the NBA. Though he might play a different position than Bryant, he has many characteristics that make him similar to Bryant. The first of which is the fact that, like Porzingis as well, Lillard and Bryant were both overlooked in terms of their potential and value when they went into the NBA Draft.
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Though Kobe was overlooked because of his age as he came right out of high school and Lillard was overlooked somewhat because of the college he went to and the fact that he stayed four years in college, the fact that they both could/should have been top-3 picks (or something close) in their respective draft classes and instead were taken later in the lottery only served as motivation for Kobe to annihilate everyone put before him to prove himself and Lillard has a lot of that mentality in him as well.
The way Bryant played in his prime and the way Lillard plays now are similar, as well. Not to call them both ball-hogs, but both players are at their best when they have the ball in their hands a great deal and are able to attack and create their own offense. However, they also share the same trait of being adept passers when they need to flip the switch and be the playmaker for their team.
Perhaps my favorite comparison between these two, though, actually comes from this season with the Blazers as Lillard carried a team that everyone doubted to the postseason. That’s a classic Kobe Bryant move, going up against the odds and tearing them down emphatically. There’s definitely a bit of Kobe in Dame, whether they realize it or not.
Next: No. 2 Kemba Walker