Kanye West claims Kobe Bryant was the 'basketball version' of himself

Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna's death on January 26, 2020, came as a shock to the entire NBA world. The five-time NBA champion was an inspiration to many and served as a vital pillar in the Los Angeles community. Kanye West opened up about his equation with 'close friend' Kobe Bryant in a recent interview.

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Kanye West on Kobe Bryant

Kanye West and Kobe Bryant starred in this Nike commercial together

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Kanye West calls Kobe Bryant one of his best friends

In an interview conducted with GQ just three days after the Kobe Bryant death, hip-hop mogul Kanye West compared himself to the late Lakers legend. Kanye West was quoted as saying, “He was the basketball version of me, and I was the rap version of him, and that’s facts! One thing I thought was really amazing is that we were able to find a groove with the photographs today even as out of it as I was with the loss of Kobe. We were able to just go to the court and play ball.”

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Kanye West further went on to add that Kobe Bryant’s Lakers legacy will be remembered for decades to come. He added, “There’s one street that I drive to go from either my office or my home to the property where the domes were built. So now there’s no way for me not to be as determined as Kobe every time I drive down that street. It’s game time. There’s no move that we can’t make, or that we’ll wait to make. Everyone in our life is now a member of the Lakers on one of Kobe’s championship teams. The way that Kobe would say that we all have to come together and win this championship is the way I look at life now. To an infinite, other level.”

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Throwback to Kobe Bryant's last NBA game for the Lakers

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