The name of Klay Thompson resonates with everything a working man can achieve. His resilience and determination are exemplary and in a recent interview, he may just have revealed where he got it from. Klay was remarkably candid to admit that he was majorly inspired by the biggest star of the 2000s NBA era, Kobe Bryant.

The Los Angeles Lakers icon became a sort of enigma during Klay’s teenage years. So, when the Golden State Warriors guard got the opportunity to brag about Kobe in front of his schoolmates, he did not let it slip.

How Kobe Bryant and Klay Thompson formed a unique bond

In the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, Klay talked about how he was star-struck with the 5 times NBA champion Kobe Bryant. Since his teenage, Klay used to go to the Lakers games with his father, Mychal Thompson. It gave him the chance to watch Kobe Bryant up close. In his own words, “I knew that was my destiny”.

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As Mychal was working as a color commentator for the franchise, Klay could be at the arena to watch the even warm-ups. Reflecting on that, he said, “I could be there all day in the arena just cause it was like a dream”. He started to shadow Black Mamba and learn from him.

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After the games, he would even wait outside to meet and greet Kobe. Their bond grew stronger over the years and a prime Kobe immensely inspired a 16-year-old Klay. He took great pride in bragging about it, as he mentioned, “Go to school the next day and be like, ‘Yeah I’m cool with Kobe Bryant'”.

Kobe’s legacy lives on

The Splash brother has always been vocal about Bryant’s influence on him. In the interview, on several occasions, he mentioned how Kobe helped him at different stages of his life. So, his admiration for the late great is apparent.

Kobe and the legacy of the former NBA icons continue to live on even after all these years. Klay was quick to admit the great respect he has for the ones who stepped on the court before him.

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But it is still unknown whether it was Kobe Bryant who inspired Klay Thompson to become a shooting guard. The four times NBA champion shares many similarities with Kobe when it comes to the winning mindset. Both have given their blood and sweat for one franchise and both have become era-defining NBA stars.