Kevin Durant admits that he is heavily inspired by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Kevin Durant is undisputedly one of the greatest basketball players to touch the hardcourt. Durant is always in the conversation, be it from coaches, opponents, or even teammates.
However, one NBA coach has a distinctive view about KD. Charlotte Hornets head coach, Steve Clifford, who had the chance to work with the Nets superstar, feels that Durant reminds him of the all-time great Kobe Bryant.
“He’s a lot like Kobe [Bryant] to me,” Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said about Durant. “Their makeup is different in many ways, but on the court, they’re very similar in terms of the way they work, and they’re both students of the game. When I think of Kobe I think of passion, when I think of Kevin, I think of passion. So two elite players who care deeply about the results more than they do like individual numbers.”
Clifford took a break from coaching and served as a player consultant with the Nets before accepting the head coaching position with the Charlotte Hornets this past offseason. He established a relationship with Durant despite his brief time with the Nets organization (only one season). The 61-year-old was able to see the star forward every day to learn how he approaches the game, how he conducts himself on and off the court, and how intelligent he is in basketball.
As for Durant, Kobe, the LA Lakers legend, was a close mentor and remains one of KD’s top idols. Durant is one of the few players in the league that had a close bond with Bryant, before Kobe passed away tragically in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
Interestingly, Clifford has seen both Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. The Charlotte Hornets coach, Clifford worked as an assistant with the Lakers during the 2012-13 season and thus has seen Kobe up close. So, it can be seen why Clifford is comparing Durant to Kobe.
“It’s hard to fill them shoes and to be a Kobe Bryant. Kob is someone I’ve been around and still study to this day. Basically, I try to copy everything he does,” said Durant. “The same with Michael Jordan. Those two guys set the tone for everything we want to be as a basketball player. I simply try to copy them as much as I can.
“I guess that showed to Ciff [Steve Clifford], and I enjoy being around him a lot. We talked a lot about the game of basketball I’m sure he can hear that in my voice how much I enjoy that dialogue about the game. It’s pretty cool to hear man. I love Cliff.” exclaimed Durant.
Kobe Bryant told Kevin Durant to not be a ‘crybaby.’
During all the time that the duo spent together, Kobe told Kevin to never be ‘crybaby.’ This one piece of advice has still stuck with Durant, the Brooklyn Nets star.
“Really just don’t be a crybaby,” Durant said. “I was at that age, at 23, where I thought the world revolved around me. He was real humble how he approached the game, how he approached his teammates, and just life in general. I just learned just from watching his movements, he was an example. He didn’t say much but he was an example by movement. Him and Mike [Michael Jordan] are two dudes I emulate on and off the court what they do. It’ll only make me better.”
What do you think about Durant’s game? Is it the reflection of the late Kobe Bryant?
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