Kobe Bryant has transitioned well into retirement as he has been busy with various things, most notably with his entertainment studio and watching his daughter take after his footsteps on the basketball court.
However, Bryant’s impact on the NBA can still be felt as he has also made himself available as a resource to the league’s current All-Star players.
Bryant has worked with some of the game’s best, including Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Gordon Hayward and they have all seemingly taken bits and pieces from the five-time NBA champion’s game.
It appears that Derrick Rose is another player who views Bryant as someone to emulate as he recently admitted to looking at the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s offensive skillset as a reference, according to Rod Beard of Detroit News:
“I’m not a jump shooter — I’m just a scorer. Whatever you give me, I’ll take it. I knew that having a jump shot prolongs your career. The older you get, you adapt to the game and that’s all I’m trying to do now,” he said. “If the game goes back to all lay-ups and midrange, I want to be able to do what Kobe (Bryant) did. He’s my example and the guy I look to and make sure I don’t change my game all the way.
Rose also cited Bryant’s longevity as a reason why he looks up to him:
“He didn’t change his game at all, but he was able to play 20 years and still be effective. That’s amazing to me. There aren’t too many people in NBA history, besides the greats, who can do that. I want to be considered one of them.”
Rose, who suffered several devastating injuries as a member of the Chicago Bulls, has managed to overcome all of that to become a serviceable scoring guard for the Pistons. While he is a far cry from the speedy player who was able to dart into the lane and finish over multiple defenders, he has managed to reinvent his game on the perimeter.
Bryant’s mastery in the midrange is something that has gone out of style in the current NBA as teams prioritize three-pointers and shots at the rim, but can still be useful in situations that call for it. While Rose’s playstyle is not quite like Bryant’s, he and other players might be able to extend their careers if they are able to follow his lead.
