Kobe Bryant gets a lot of love from NBA fans and guys on opposing teams. But according to a report that was released by ESPN The Magazine earlier this NBA season, there are plenty of players who have chosen not to play alongside Kobe over the years. It seems some players don't think Kobe is a very good teammate, so they have decided to take their talents elsewhere as opposed to playing with the Black Mamba.
Kevin Durant doesn't necessarily agree with the decision that those players have reportedly made, though. During a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports, he said that he'd gladly play with someone like Kobe and thinks that Kobe is getting a bad rap because of reports like the one released by ESPN The Mag.
"Excuse my language," he said, "but that's bullshit. I want to play with a winner every single night, especially somebody who wants to win that bad, who works that hard, who demands a lot, who raises up your level. I'd want to play with a guy like that every day…[His style] may make people uncomfortable, how he acts and just how he approaches the game, but I love that type of stuff. I think [the accusation] is BS."
KD also said that he admires the way Kobe carries himself.
"He doesn't mind being an asshole," he said, "and I've seen that just playing alongside him in the Olympics [in 2012]. He demands a lot out of everybody. He makes them better. Everybody out on the court. You've got to respect that. As a player, I study guys like that. We might not have the same personality, but I think we approach the game the same way and I've learned a lot from just watching him."
Fortunately for the rest of the league, KD and Kobe won't be teaming anytime soon (at least, we don't think they will). But it's interesting to hear a fellow superstar's take on what was written about Kobe in the ESPN The Mag piece.
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[via USA TODAY Sports]
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