Kobe Bryant epitomized the characteristics of the animal that he borrowed his nickname from. The Black Mamba is a snake, a cold-blooded reptile. On the court, that is precisely what Kobe was. He would exude confidence and walk around as if he had ice water in his veins.

NBA veteran Jamal Crawford took to Twitter to share a small message about what it was like to face Kobe, by quote-tweeting a video of Kobe talking about his nickname.

Crawford played opposite Kobe Bryant for a large chunk of his career. They were both shooting guards in the same conference for seven seasons. Crawford even played for the LA Clippers during Kobe’s twilight years.

Kobe Bryant and Jamal Crawford

Crawford and Kobe were both very different players. While they did play the same position, Kobe was probably the highest regarded player in the league. Crawford was respected but became a perennial Sixth Man of the Year winner. He won three of those during his career, while Kobe battled for MVPs and titles.

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Crawford has long been a very public supporter of Bryant. He has spoken multiple times about how Kobe was the hardest player to guard in the league. He has routinely stated that Kobe Bryant ranks amongst the top-five players in NBA history. The love and respect for Bean go deep in Crawford’s heart.

The respect that Crawford has for Kobe is one that is shared by players throughout the league right now. The difference is, many of them grew up idolizing Bryant and that is where they draw their love for Kobe. Crawford had the opportunity to be in the league for 12 of Kobe’s 16 seasons – basically making them contemporaries.

This is further testament to Bryant’s enduring legacy in the hearts and minds of basketball fans and players alike, regardless of age.