Thanks to his phenomenal 20-year tenure with the franchise, the Black Mamba holds the top spot for one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. With an impressive 33,643 points, Kobe Bryant had the most points in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ history. Bryant’s loyalty to the Lakers along with his otherworldly grit and determination made the 5x champion an almost mythical figure in sports. As such, analysts continue to speak on the unique legacy of Kobe.

55-year-old NFL legend Shannon Sharpe and Agent Zero recently gave their two cents on the matter, with the 3x Superbowl Winner giving Bryant a ‘God’-like comparison.

Shannon Sharpe and Gilbert Arenas talk about Kobe Bryant’s Lakers legacy

Nearly a third of the championship banners hanging in the Lakers’ rafters were won during the career of Kobe Bean Bryant. Following his untimely demise, several NBA stars and organizations have taken up the responsibility of carrying on his legacy. Recently on GilsArena, Gilbert Arenas and Shannon Sharpe broke down what makes Bryant’s connection to his franchise so special.

Speaking of Kobe’s Lakers legacy, Shannon Sharpe stated, “Kobe is God to the Lakers. Nobody is on the level of Kobe in a Laker uniform. Because they saw a 17-year-old boy come here, mature, grow and they saw every step of the way. Nobody is gonna replace Kobe.”

The 3x All-Star with the Washington Wizards agreed and added, “He was the American dream.”

Notably, Arenas faced off against Bryant 16 times between 2002 and 2011. Kobe came out on top 9 times, averaging a cool 30-6-6 on Agent Zero. Like most NBA legends, Gil continues to give his flowers to the 5x NBA champion.

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However, Sharpe’s take on Kobe’s legacy runs a little deeper. The narrative he outlines of a young guard slowly making his way to highest echelons of NBA history paints a very intimate connection between Bryant and his franchise. And there’s a clear manifestation of his growth too.

Kobe Bryant’s growth was symbolized by his jersey number

Both 8 and 24 held significance for the Black Mamba. The shift from 8 to 24 symbolized a fresh start for Bryant. Fans were able to witness a more mature and seasoned player with the number 24 emblazoned on his jersey.

During an interview, Bryant revealed, “Physical attributes aren’t there the way they used to be, but the maturity level is greater. Marriage, kids. Start having a broader perspective being one of the older guys on the team now, as opposed to being the youngest. Things evolve.”

That might just be it. Lakers fans could grow up alongside their favorite star. They saw a young, scrawny kid develop into one of the greatest shooting guards of all time. Only a few 21st century stars, like Dirk Nowitzki, have crafted such an impressive resume with one franchise.

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And with the league becoming more and more trade-oriented, it might be a while before we see another story like Kobe Bryant’s.