August 23, 2023 was late Los Angeles Lakers It’s the 45th anniversary of the great Kobe Bryant’s birthday, and the basketball world is wondering what impact he will have on the sport.
Even after retiring as a player in 2016, Bryant coached a number of NBA players, either in person or remotely, and she became a strong advocate for women’s sports, particularly the WNBA.
Today’s generation of NBA players easily cite Bryant as someone they look up to. is one of them Utah Jazz Guard Jordan Clarksonwho was fortunate enough to play with Bryant in his first two seasons in the league.
Clarkson said the Black Mamba is his “goat (greatest ever)” and said he’s learned a lot from the Lakers legend (h/t Lakers Daily).
“It meant a lot to be around him in the early years of my life, definitely my goat, a guy I learned a lot from,” Clarkson said. And he taught me a lot. He means a lot to my career and the game of basketball.”
Since leaving the Lakers midway through the 2017-18 season, Clarkson, a second-round draft pick in 2014, has developed into a very good player. He was the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year and averaged 20.8 points and 4.4 assists per game last season, both career highs.