Jamal Crawford endorses his Kobe Bryant-Michael Jordan take to his 1.6 million followers with unique message

To Jamal Crawford, Kobe Bryant was the only player who came close to Michael Jordan.

Having enjoyed a storied 20-year career in the NBA, Crawford who played against the Black Mamba 28 times in the league, reckons he was the only player who chased greatness the way Jordan did. That made Bryant the best basketball player in the world.

In an earlier interview, Crawford, who has 1.6 million followers, gave Bryant his flowers when talking about Jordan and the players compared with the Chicago Bulls legend.

"They never let you down watching them, ever. They always went for it. A lot of people have been compared to MJ over the years, but to me, Kobe was the one who actually went and chased it head-on and embraced it, like 'Oh no, I'm going to be the greatest.' And I think MJ loved that about him.

"I said it when Kobe came to my pro-am. To me, he was the generation's Michael Jordan. Kobe was the best player I've played against."

At his peak, Bryant was almost unstoppable. The late Los Angeles Lakers legend won two back-to-back scoring titles, averaging 35.4 points per game in the 2005-06 season and propping up 31.6 points per game the following year. That he made the All-Defensive team in both seasons showed how he could play brilliantly at both ends of the floor.

In his 20-year career, all of which he spent with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant would finish with 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks. He had five championships to show for his efforts, won the MVP in 2008 and boasted 12 selections to the All-Defensive teams.

He may have had one piece of silverware less than Michael Jordan, but his legendary career cemented his place among the pantheon of greats.

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Jamal Crawford explains why Kobe Bryant was special

In another interview, Jamal Crawford revealed what made Kobe Bryant special. Quite simply, it was the winning attitude that Bryant brought to the game each time he played.

On a FanDuel segment, Crawford spoke about why the Mamba was a beast on the court.

"Guarding him was like no other. He was literally the best player I've ever played against. He had no fear.

"He could go 1-for-15 and think he was hot. His work ethic, his skill. When you knew you were going to play against him, he wanted to take your heart but you lost sleep the night before."

Bryant was perhaps the closest to being compared to Michael Jordan. After all, his imitation of the Bulls legend has been well-documented, and that approach worked well.

It's a shame that he's no more, but there was never a doubt that Kobe Bryant was one of his kind.