Naw he did...
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kobe Bryant says Russell Westbrook is most similar to him
Regardless of what anyone thinks of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the fact remains that he is one of the best players in NBA history. Bryant has five NBA championships, he is a 16-time All-Star, a two-time NBA scoring champion and is a 12-time All-Defensive team member as well. Bryant attributes his intensity for his success, and when looking at young NBA stars, he sees only one person who really compared to him in intensity, and that is the
Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook.
Bryant told
ESPN on Thursday that only Westbrook is close to him in terms of intensity. Bryant explained that Westbrook “plays with a rage that’s not very common.” Those two superstars will face off tonight, as the Oklahoma City Thunder head into Los Angeles to battle the Lakers in a big Friday night basketball game.
It’s interesting because when asked about the anger he plays with, Russell Westbrook simply told reporters that he is always angry. Whether that is an honest statement or just Westbrook playing on the words of The Hulk in the movie, "The Avengers", is an interesting question, but on the court, Westbrook always looks angry and plays with a hard, ruthless aggression.
That is what makes Westbrook so dangerous. It is a complete 180 from his teammate Kevin Durant, who plays with a calm, precise demeanor. Durant beats people with an ice cold pinpoint precision, but always comes across as a quiet, respectful player. While Westbrook is also a respectful player at the end of the day, he plays like he is full of energy and about to explode.
When Russell Westbrook breaks for the basket, he is moving fast and his dunks are ferocious and explosive. However, at the same time, he is also someone who gracefully moves around the basket and gets into position for his shots. While it looks like Westbrook plays at a breakneck speed, he is actually completely under control, except on those occasions where he finally loses his cool. It is at that time that his opponents realize that they won’t like him when he is really angry.
The
Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Staples Center for their next game against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 19. Tip off for the game is at 10:30 p.m. EST. Kevin Durant’s status for the game is still unknown due to the ankle injury.
