Kobe Bryant, on a night in which he passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, dropped a quote Sunday night that should do nothing but inspire and excite the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"It’s like looking at a reflection of myself 19 years ago." – Kobe Bryant on Andrew Wiggins pic.twitter.com/abdkGNRT6p
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 15, 2014
Kobe: "I remember being Andrew Wiggins…It's like looking at a reflection of myself 19 years ago."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 15, 2014
Wiggins, 19, shows the athleticism and promise of a future superstar. Bryant, 36, is winding down a career that will go down as one of the greatest in NBA history. But even though Wiggins is dripping with talent, Pro Basketball Talk wonders if he’ll showcase the drive and killer instinct that Kobe has thrived on for 19 seasons.
https://twitter.com/Kyle_Ratke/status/544564999742431232
Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points in a 100-94 win over the Timberwolves. Wiggins scored 16 points and afterward was in awe of Bryant.
Andrew Wiggins: "I witnessed greatness. A living legend passing Michael Jordan, who everyone thinks is the best of all time."
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) December 15, 2014
According to Lakers Nation, Wiggins leads all rookies in scoring this season (12.8 points per game) and he’s in the top 10 rookies in rebounding and steals.
But while Wiggins reminds Kobe of himself as a rookie, Wiggins’ start in the NBA has been different. Wiggins has started every game for the Wolves; Kobe started just six games as a rookie in 1996-97, averaging 7.6 points per game. He started just one game in his second season while upping his scoring average to 15.4 points per game, according to Basketball Reference. Kobe’s first season as a full-time starter came in his third year.
Kobe talks for a few moments with Andrew Wiggins after the final buzzer pic.twitter.com/7BwEBo2T73
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) December 15, 2014
