An NBA legend remembers Kobe Bryant: "He is the closest to Michael Jordan"

Dominique Wilkins can perfectly be considered the second best player in the history of the Atlanta Hawks behind Bob Pettit. He was a true star in his day, one of the greats of his generation, an incredible scorer who was an All-Star 9 times in a row, made the NBA All-Teams 7 times, once on the first team, which places him as the best small forward of that year, was once the league's leading scorer, and won the dunk contest twice.

He was also part of the NBA's 75th-anniversary team, meaning he is among the 75 best players in league history. His jersey hangs in the rafters of the Hawks' arena, and he had a brief stint in Europe where he dominated. He won the EuroLeague with Panathinaikos being the Final Four MVP and added another title in Greece being the top scorer and MVP of the Cup and All-Star Game. Additionally, he played 1 year in Bologna, was an All-Star, and won the Cup.

Recently, Wilkins spoke about Kobe Bryant. The legendary small forward recalled a matchup he had with the Los Angeles Lakers' icon and compared his game and level with none other than Michael Jordan, one of the great rivals he faced, especially in the race for the NBA's top scorer and in dunk contests.

Wilkins' words on Kobe Bryant

"I love Kobe. Kobe is a throwback with a twist to new school. I remember when he was leaving his last game in Atlanta, and I went to the locker room afterward. I said: 'Man, I loved the way you played, you never made excuses, played hurt. You're the last of our era. When you're gone, the last of our era goes with you.' And he looked at me and said, 'Man, that means a lot coming from you because many legends have told me the same.' I said, 'It's true, man. You played with a really bad Achilles, something no one would do.' To me, he's the closest to a player like Michael [Jordan] that has ever existed."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Una leyenda de la NBA recuerda a Kobe Bryant: "Es lo más cercano a Michael Jordan"