The NBA Finals are where legacies are made, where superstars etch their names into history. And right now, in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just playing like an MVP he’s playing with a certain kind of cold-blooded, methodical style that’s got the whole basketball world buzzing. It’s sparking some serious comparisons to one of the most iconic players to ever do it: the late, great Kobe Bryant.

Thunder suffered a gut-wrenching 111-110 loss thanks to a last-second Tyrese Haliburton game-winner, despite that SGA’s performance was a reminder of that Mamba Mentality. He came out uber aggressive from the jump, dropping 19 points in the first half alone and finishing the game with a massive 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting, leading all players and scoring more than twice as many points as almost every other player on the court.

And the fans? They’re seeing it too. The talk is already heating up on social media, with fans noticing that same level of craft and focus. One fan on Twitter put it perfectly: “A Kobe ‘detail’ episode on Shai would be so cold.” For anyone who’s watched ESPN’s “Detail” series, where Kobe used to break down players’ games with incredible precision, you know that’s the ultimate sign of respect. It means fans are seeing that same basketball genius, that same dedication to the fundamentals, in SGA’s game right now.

For fans watching SGA dominate this postseason and sensing shades of the Mamba Mentality, that instinct isn’t off. In a February 2025 interview with V Magazine, Shai opened up about Kobe Bryant’s influence, both on and off the court: “My biggest inspiration on the court has always been Kobe Bryant. I love every aspect of what he’s contributed to the game of basketball.” So no, it’s not just coincidence—Shai has deliberately shaped his game in the image of Kobe’s, and now, under the playoff spotlight, that influence is impossible to ignore.

And it’s not just the fans. Danny Green, a three-time NBA champ who has seen true greatness up close, recently broke down what makes SGA so special, and he didn’t hesitate to invoke the Mamba’s name. “I love the fact that he still, he reminds me of Kobe (Bryant),“ Green said, a statement that carries some serious weight. He then explained why he sees that connection: “He still does a lot in the mid-range and a lot of footwork and fundamentals.”

That’s the key right there. In today’s NBA, where everyone’s obsessed with the three-point line, SGA is keeping that old-school, surgical mid-range game alive and well. And it’s not just the on-court style, either, it’s the mentality. His teammate, Jalen Williams, talked about what makes SGA a leader: “His mentality. Just a winner. Just has a ‘I’m gonna get it done’ mentality. I think it’s rubbed off on the rest of the team.” That single-minded focus is something Shai himself has been vocal about all postseason. When asked on the eve of the Finals about his historic season, SGA was completely locked in: “Honestly, not really. I’ve been so focused on Game 1.” Sound familiar? That’s the kind of focus Kobe was legendary for. Even in a heartbreaking Game 1 loss, watching SGA battle, you could see that same fire.

And you know the internet was buzzing during and after Game 1, with basketball lovers pointing to specific eras and styles of Kobe’s game that they’re now seeing in Shai.

“Kobe would be smiling”: Fans go wild with SGA-Mamba comparisons

One fan, pinpointed a very specific, and very high-level, version of Kobe that SGA’s game is reminding them of: “Shai in the 2008-10 Kobe bag right now. Methodical buckets at all three levels on the highest stage in the sport.” That’s not just a casual comparison, that’s a deep cut. That 2008-10 era was peak “Mamba” Kobe, the post-Shaq version who led the Lakers to back-to-back championships as the undisputed number one option. He was a master of the mid-range, surgical with his footwork, and could get a bucket from anywhere on the floor, all while carrying the immense pressure of being “the man.”

And when you look at SGA’s season? He just won MVP, averaged a league-leading 32.7 points, and joined Michael Jordan as the only other player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block on 50% shooting. Seeing him operate with that same methodical, three-level scoring approach on the NBA’s biggest stage? It’s a powerful and, for many, an accurate comparison to Kobe at the absolute height of his powers.

For other fans, the connection feels even more emotional, almost spiritual: “Ik kobe looking up smiling at this shai performance” And the almost rhetorical question that many seem to be asking: “How can you not acknowledge Shai plays like Kobe?” This speaks to how much fans revered Kobe’s dedication to the actual craft of basketball. When they see SGA utilizing that same beautiful footwork, that same dedication to the mid-range game in an era that has largely abandoned it, it feels like an homage.

Then you get the more nuanced, “what if” takes from fans who are really in their basketball analyst bag. This kind of comparison is super interesting because it looks at how SGA’s game is both similar to and an evolution of Kobe’s style: “Shai is who Kobe would’ve been if he played like a small guard vs being a post up guard”

This is a fantastic point. Kobe, especially later in his career, was a master of the post-up, using his size and strength to bully smaller guards. SGA, while having great size for a guard himself at 6’6″, plays a much more modern, shifty, perimeter-oriented game.

It’s like seeing the Mamba Mentality and skillset applied to a different style of attack, which is a fascinating way to look at how the game, and its great players, evolve.