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Los Angeles Lakers: Pau Gasol sees similarities between Kobe Bryant and Giannis Antetokounmpo

By James Francuz

MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers hugs Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center on February 22, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers hugs Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center on February 22, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /
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Former Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol believes current teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo shares attributes a former teammate of his possessed.

Former Los Angeles Lakers power forward/center Pau Gasol has been in the NBA for a good number of years now. On account of that factor, his voice carries more weight than that of the average player.

During his NBA tenure, Gasol has had the opportunity to play with some top-notch players. Of course, the man that headlines that list is none other than Kobe Bryant.

As a collective unit, Gasol and Bryant won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. Thus, Gasol fully understands what Kobe was like on the court, especially when it came to big-time moments.

At this juncture, the Spaniard is playing with another pretty spectacular ballplayer. In being with the Milwaukee Bucks, Gasol has gotten the chance to see what Giannis Antetokounmpo brings to the table.

Antetokounmpo unarguably had the best season of his career in 2018-2019 and is perhaps the leading candidate for this year’s MVP award.

Needless to say, Bryant has an MVP on his trophy shelf at home, earning it while Gasol was a member of the Lakers. Therefore, Gasol has more exposure than most folks to such highly skilled talent.

In having witnessed Bryant and Antetokounmpo, the two-time champion believes the two have some common ground. Gasol submitted a piece recently to The Players’ Tribune, which outlined his thoughts on the subject.

Per what Ron Gutterman of Lakers Nation transcribed from Gasol’s article, the veteran had the following to say about the two studs.

"“Like I said, Giannis is not Kobe. But both guys bring an uncommon intensity and competitiveness to the way they play, and it’s only something you can really see if you’ve been near them. You see it in their eyes. They both bring an edge to the way they practice, too. I’ve been Giannis’s teammate for far less time than I was Kobe’s, but I know what Kobe’s approach to practice was like. He practiced as hard as he played. To Kobe, everything was a challenge.”"

This says a lot because Kobe was the ultimate competitor. He embraced any challenge that came his way with an unmatched zeal to destroy those who came within his line of sight.

Gasol is also correct when referencing how The Black Mamba used to practice. It may not have made sense to most given that it was, well… practice. But that is simply how Bryant was wired.

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Kobe brought that fiery nature into practice to show his teammates what he expected from them as well. Not to say perfect results were always going to occur, but it is fair to say he always expected 100% effort.

As a result, the fact that Gasol notes this parallelism between the two is compelling. He is just about as worthy as anyone with regard to comparing their dispositions.

Now, it is key to point out that Pau says: “Giannis is not Kobe.” In his article, the seven-footer exhibited that “[Kobe’s] combination of talent and will to win is like nothing I’ve seen in my career.”

Consequently, at least at this stage anyway, Pau essentially has Kobe in a different realm than Giannis. It is hard to blame the big fella for thinking this way because KB24 certainly willed the Lakers to a ton of wins throughout his storied career.

However, The Greek Freak has seemed to will himself as his career has progressed. Despite being just 24 years of age, Giannis has vastly improved year after year while in the league. That is not something that is seen every day.

It has gotten to a point where the superstar could honestly be considered one of the best… if not the best the league has to offer.

Clearly, it is understandable how badly Antetokounmpo wants it. Without a doubt, he has that special “it” factor that Bryant possessed. The former works his tail off behind the scenes and his team could very well be playing in June courtesy of his efforts.

What is interesting about the comparison, too, is the fact that Kobe seemed to see something special in Giannis a couple years ago. At said point, Bryant challenged the physically gifted Buck to win MVP.

While it did not happen last year, to look at how far The Greek Freak has come is incredible. Indeed, Kobe was on another level, but Giannis’s level of play this year surely reveals that he is poised to be the best possible version of himself.

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Granted diehard Lakers’ fans may not like this comparison, hearing it from Gasol gives it some validity. The international talent has seen what both guys are capable of firsthand.

At any rate, what cannot be denied is that the two only care about one thing. That one thing is doing whatever is necessary to win.

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