Kobe respected his LA fans tremendously and saw the Lakers franchise as his home, one he constantly sought to improve. Why did he stay that long with one team? Because he believed deeply in team loyalty. But did you know that Kobe's 20-year career with the Lakers is an unmatched NBA record? No other player has played longer for one team without interruptions. We all know about Kobe's 5 Championship rings, 18 All-Star appearances, and multiple scoring titles. He's incredibly popular in China, and is even considered a mentor by tennis superstar Novak Djokovic. In time, Kobe became a global role model and inspirational mentor to countless NBA players that came after him. Kobe's other basketball mentors include Magic Johnson, Jerry West (The Logo himself), who was a father figure to a young Kobe for 2 years in LA, and even 11-time Celtics champion Bill Russell, among many others. Michael Jordan saw Kobe as a little brother and became his mentor even when they were still competing. And by the end of his career, Kobe got closer to MJ's greatness than any other player, according to former Jordan teammate Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors. Everything MJ did, he wanted to do better.
Kobe admitted many times throughout his career that his idol was Michael Jordan. His attention to detail and understanding of the game of basketball became so well-known around the league that ESPN asked him to analyze film and dissect plays for the Detail series. In other words, Kobe understood the importance of meticulous preparation.
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