“Let’s Please Not Compare Yourself to Kobe Bryant”: Clemson Star Shut Down by Coach, He Responds With Kevin Durant Answer

Published 03/28/2024, 11:06 PM EDT

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Ian Schieffelin in the Mamba Mentality today? The offensive burst of energy from Schieffelin is hard not to notice. Following the great upset where Clemson (6) beat Arizona (2) in their Sweet-16 matchup 77-72, the No. 4’s Kobe 8 Protro shone the brightest. So much so that an interviewer asked him after their win if he was playing like the Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

The forward satiated the reporter with a quick response, crediting his brother for the choice. Schieffelin replied to him with a, “Shout out to my brother. He is a big Kobe Bryant guy.” But before he could say anything further, his coach Brad Brownell had a witty take on it all. The coach joked, “Let’s please not compare yourself to Kobe Bryant. You’re playing well, but let’s not do that.” To this, the immaculate forward had a quippy remark.

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He simply said RJ Godfrey calls him Kevin Durant sometimes. According to him, he doesn’t know what gets closer to the NBA legend. In the end, all Ian Schieffelin could answer to the interviewer was that he felt good establishing himself very early in the game. Let us take a look at how the Loganville, GA-born hooper reserved a ticket for his team in the Elite Eight with his attacking brilliance.

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Ian Schieffelin and Co. bring it home for the Tigers

Looks like latching on to Brownell has finally reaped good results for Clemson. With an impressive team effort, the Tigers kept a lead in most parts of the game. While there was no double-double performance on Clemson’s end, their stats outshined the Wildcats in most categories. The scoreboard leader for the Tigers, PJ Hall, grabbed 17 points and 8 rebounds. He was closely following the leading man Chase Hunter who collected 18 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists for the team. Ian Schieffelin was also trailing behind the two shooters with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

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It is good to see that a good player like Ian Schieffelin remembers his brother and brings a piece of him to his important games, even if in his idol’s shoes. The Clemson Tigers will next face their Elite 8 opponents in Alabama as they kicked 1-seed North Carolina out tonight. It is going to be a battle of the upset winners, but definitely, one to watch as both the teams have entered the regional finals after decades. Both have given upsets throughout their way to this point and surely will not throw the towel easily.

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Written by:

Srashti Sharma

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Srashti Sharma is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, known for her in-depth researching skills. From the very first time that she heard about Kobe Bryant, she herself cultivated a Mamba Mentality. She loves the competitive nature of the sport which fuels her inner sportswoman.
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Edited by:

Daniel D'Cruz