A former Boston Celtics champion called out the recent disrespect directed at Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant has long been considered as one of the greatest NBA players of all-time. There has been a recent shift in the media narrative around the Los Angeles Lakers legend as many have attempted to tear down his legacy.
While the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer is unfortunately no longer here to fire back at critics, there has been no shortage of former teammates and opponents who have made sure to defend his greatness. Former Boston Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins appeared on the "Road Trippin'" podcast, where he became the latest former player to call out the disrespect directed at Bryant.
"Problem I've been having, speaking of the Lakers, one of the all-time greats, arguably the greatest player to ever put on a Lakers uniform," Former Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins stated. "The man got two statues. God rest his soul. Kobe Bean Bryant. The disrespect needs to (expletive) stop. It needs to stop. Let the man rest in peace. Give the man some space, some grace. What are we doing right now? Every time I look up, it's something about Kobe, and it's not positive. It's something negative... Man, shut the (expletive) up. Kobe Bean Bryant was like that on both ends of the floor."
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"When it comes to Kobe and where he ranks on the all-time great list, I got him top-ten," Perkins added. "I'm actually tired of debating the whole (expletive) about where guys rank and things of that nature, but he's top-ten in my eyes... Top-three most skilled player to ever play the game of basketball. He's Jordan, offensively, times two, when it comes down to the offensive package that he had."
Perkins added that Bryant may be the most mentally tough player in NBA history. He praised his ability to battle through injuries and come back from injuries.
While media members have often attempted to tear apart Bryant's legacy, the respect from his peers speaks volumes. Most former players who have weighed in on the subject have Bryant ranked in the three-to-five, with many ranking him second all-time behind Michael Jordan.
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Category: Basketball
