2. Kemba Walker – Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are still a team trying to fully assert themselves in the Eastern Conference and they’ll have some tough decisions to make this offseason to see where they want to go moving forward. However, the one constant for that team is going to be at the point guard position with Kemba Walker. And though it might not be the most obvious choice, Walker shares some very close similarities with Bryant that could help a part of Kobe’s legacy live on in this league.
One of the lasting thoughts and memories of Kobe Bryant over the course of his 20-year career is his unflinching play and personality in the face of both adversity and big moments. Whether it was needing to reinvent himself as a player and person, suffer through having an abysmal array of teammates around him and still find success, or take the biggest shot of a big game, Bryant was never afraid of any of it. When you think about it, Kemba has displayed similar characteristics.
Walker’s willingness to take big shots started back in his college days when he developed the reputation for knocking down clutch jumpers with his stepback jumper (his version of the Kobe fadeaway). Moreover, he also had to suffer through some of the worst teams in the history of the NBA when he first came into the league, but he managed to improve and is now a star in this league. Though it might not be the most obvious comparison, there’s a lot of Kobe Bryant in Kemba Walker.
Next: No. 1 Russell Westbrook