Many young players coming into the NBA today grew up watching and idolizing Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who won five NBA titles during his two decades with the iconic franchise.
Only a handful of those players actually get the chance to wear the same uniform as a Hall of Famer, an honor that rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schiffino now holds after being selected by the team with the No. 17 overall selection in 2023. Is. nba draft.
As an avid fan of the former superstar guard, Hood-Schiffino said the first thing that came to mind after he was drafted by the Lakers was the former face of the iconic franchise via The NBA on ESPN.
jalen hood-schiffino thought about kobe 💜 💛 pic.twitter.com/TKY0qqGE0x
– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 13 July 2023
Even though there will never be another Kobe Bryant, the legend remains and it is likely that he will always be a constant source of inspiration for basketball players, as his legacy and influence have only grown since his tragic passing in 2020.
As for Hood-Schifino, he has the huge challenge of proving himself to head coach Darwin Hamm and company in order to find a role on this Lakers team that will be in contention for a title during the 2023-24 NBA season. determined to compete.
Hood-Schifino certainly will have his work cut out for him when training camp and the preseason begin when sharing the floor with Lakers stars like Austin Reeves, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Only time will tell if Hood-Schifino can adopt a little of that Mamba mentality and make a name for himself in the Purple and Gold.
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