During a conversation with HoopsHype, former NBA player Greivis Vasquez called Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant “more significant” to him than Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan “in terms of lifestyle.”
Vasquez ranked Jordan over Bryant while naming his top players ever, but he gave the Lakers icon some flowers that he didn’t give Jordan.
“Well, obviously, the first man is Michael Jordan,” Vasquez said after being asked to name his top five players in NBA history. “I grew up watching him, although I was really young. The reason I like Jordan is that he did it both on and off the floor. But he’s a different breed. His mindset was different. He didn’t want to be like anyone else, not even his peers. If you really understand who MJ was as a player, you can see his competitiveness and how far ahead he was from the rest. There were good players, and there were great players, but at that moment, he was the super great player.
“The second man, my idol, my hero, and someone who means everything to me, is Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately, he’s no longer with us physically, but his spirit lives on. The Mamba Mentality is a lifestyle. Kobe’s approach, education, and willpower were extraordinary. He’s the definition of a winner. For me, Kobe is even more significant than Michael in terms of lifestyle. He was a different guy. He spoke three or four different languages and even spoke to me in Spanish a few times. Coming from Caracas, Venezuela, and playing against your hero – money can’t buy that. I don’t take that for granted.”
Vasquez finished his list by naming LeBron James at No. 3, Stephen Curry at No. 4 and Kevin Durant at No. 5.
A first-round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Vasquez had the privilege of playing in the NBA at the same time as Bryant. Vasquez played seven seasons in the NBA and six of them came while Bryant was still active.
While Vasquez was never a star at the NBA level, he had some solid seasons, including a 2012-13 campaign that saw him nearly take home Most Improved Player honors. That was the best season of his career, as he averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game.
Bryant, of course, put together one of the best resumes in NBA history during his time in the league, earning 18 All-Star nods, two scoring titles, one league MVP award and five NBA titles, among numerous other accolades.
The 2015-16 season was Bryant’s final run in the NBA, and Vasquez’s last NBA action came in the 2016-17 season.
While Vasquez didn’t name Bryant as his No. 1 player in NBA history, he still showed him a lot of respect by putting him at No. 2. Many NBA fans reserve the top two spots for Jordan and James, but Vasquez evidently believes that Bryant deserves to be closer to the top.
Although Bryant lost his life in 2020, his legacy remains very relevant in today’s NBA, and it’s clear that countless people around the basketball world still keep him in mind on a regular basis.
