Rod Strickland feels fortunate to have witnessed a wide array of game-changers throughout the history of the NBA. Like most of his contemporaries, "Hot Rod" recognized the legacies of each iconic player who revolutionized the game as well as what they contributed to the sport.
According to Strickland, that list is long and it includes the usual names such as Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, among others.
Admittedly, Rod couldn't make the same case for the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant , though.
"When I grew up, Dr. J (Julius Erving) was my idol and of course he was influenced by others before him," Strickland told Basketball News in 2022. "But the way he dunked and [did] under-the-basket finger rolls, he changed how the game was played, at least in the NBA. Then, you got Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The game was struggling, they both got championships and the viewers were coming in. Then, you go from there and you have Michael Jordan, who elevates the entire game himself to a whole different level."
"I would love to say Kobe [Bryant], who was definitely great, but he kind of mirrored Jordan," he emphasized.
"Tim Duncan comes in and you had that team-oriented type of style. KD (Kevin Durant) comes in — 7-foot, can play every position and shoot from anywhere on the court. And of course, I am skipping over a few people, of course you have LeBron James. But my point is, you have moments in time where a player comes in and makes the entire game look different, and Steph Curry definitely has done that."
In all fairness to Strickland's take, Bryant evidently emulated MJ as a player. In fact, it has become common knowledge in the NBA that Kobe was the closest thing to Jordan.
However, even though "Hot Rod" kind of put an asterisk on Bryant's name in terms of being a game-changer in the league, Strickland acknowledged that Black Mamba possessed something that not all players have.
For the former NBA assists champion, Kobe brought something unique to the game with his unwavering confidence and mental toughness. Moreover, Strickland pointed out that Kobe separated himself from other all-time greats by demonstrating his ability to remain unfazed regardless of the situation and constantly striving for nothing less than excellence.
"He has a mindset, that Mamba Mentality, it's different," Strickland once said of Bryant. "To be able to go to Utah as a young kid, take all those [airball] shots and walk off the court like not care as far as whatever the criticism is, then come back and be better, take on teams on his own, he had Shaq, then he wanted to be on his own. That's a mentality that everyone doesn't have."
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Every great player has their own distinct set of strengths and weaknesses. However, there are also those who stand out for exceeding what was expected of them as athletes, which makes them legendary in their own right.
In Bryant's case, Strickland was right. Kobe's legacy has been intertwined with Jordan to this day. However, it's also hard to deny that Bryant eventually carved out his own path. While he moved and competed like MJ, Kobe set a gold standard as far as pushing beyond limits.
For Kobe, everything that didn't resonate with improving or winning was an excuse. He proved that his basketball greatness was just one thing. He was also a great mentor, father, businessman and storyteller. By being multifaceted, Bryant created a category of his own and changed the way people perceive NBA stars.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
