Talk of where legendary Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant stands among basketball’s all-time greats is nothing new.
What is new, and what’s stirred strong reactions from figures across the game, is the intensity and tone of recent debates online and in media circles.
As social platforms and pundits revisit legacy lists and historical rankings, NBA veterans and stars alike are increasingly vocal in defending Bryant‘s career and impact.
Current and former NBA stars defend Kobe Bryant’s legacy
Kyrie Irving, point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, has become one of the most outspoken current voices in the defense of Bryant‘s standing.
Irving directly addressed critics and media personalities who he believes casually diminish Bryant‘s accomplishments and influence on a Twitch stream from July.
“I’m not letting people come on and talk about Kobe like Kobe wasn’t one of the best. If y’all don’t knock that s- off,” Irving said, forcefully calling for respect for Bryant‘s career.
He highlighted the intensity of Bryant‘s arrival as a 17-year-old in the NBA and the consistency of his excellence by age 22, achievements that helped define the Black Mamba as a generational standardsetter.
Bryant‘s influence on Irving was also deeply personal. In reflecting on his relationship with Bryant, Irving described the Lakers legend as both a mentor and a transformational figure in his life, emphasizing Bryant‘s teaching on resilience, selfimprovement, and personal growth.
Other voices from the league’s past echo this insistence that contemporary critiques miss the full picture.
Former NBA guard Brandon Roy recently reiterated that, for those who knew Bryant‘s game and competitive intensity firsthand, his impact on basketball is enduring:
“The real ones know the legacy that Kobe Bryant left on the game of basketball. That can’t be erased from the history books,” Roy said.
Lou Williams, who spent several seasons playing with Bryant in Los Angeles, didn’t mince words during a recent appearance on Run It Back. Williams also referenced comparisons to other legends like Tim Duncan, the retired San Antonio Spurs forward widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.
According to Williams, the criticism and comparison culture around Bryant‘s standing in the sport has crossed a line.
“We gotta stop trying Kobe. There’s too many conversations around Kobe’s legacy for my liking. We know who Kobe Bryant was, and this has nothing to do with Tim Duncan. We gotta stop trying Kobe’s legacy; comparing him to this person, comparing him to that person,” Williams said.
“When that man was alive and well, none of this was a conversation. His legacy wasn’t confused; his iconic status, none of those things were questioned or confused. He was either one, either two, or either three.”
The pushback from former NBA stars isn’t an attempt to shut down legitimate discussion. Rather, it’s a plea for nuance and fairness in the way one of the most influential basketball figures of the modern era is discussed.
