Former NBA point guard Brandon Jennings enjoyed a solid career at the top level, and what likely made his tenure in the NBA even more special to him was the fact that he got to play in the league at the same time as Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.
Jennings has Bryant as his G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time), and he recently shared some touching stories involving the Hall of Famer.
“Definitely Kobe,” Jennings told HoopsHype when asked to name his G.O.A.T. “Growing up in L.A. and seeing him win five titles, it just makes sense. People seem to forget he was the most dominant player at his peak during the late 2000s. And he’s got a legacy of work ethic and drive that will live forever.”
Jennings continued.
“Definitely,” he said when asked if he had any memorable interactions with Bryant. “When I tore my Achilles, he texted me and gave me some encouragement on how to deal with it. He wasn’t playing at that time and was coming back from a shoulder injury himself. You could tell he just always cared about the people in the basketball community and was trying to help. I remember he took a picture with my son after a game too, so that was dope, and it’s a memory that my son just really appreciates having now.”
Jennings tore his Achilles in January of 2015 with the Detroit Pistons. Bryant was likely able to give Jennings some valuable advice on how to deal with it because the Lakers legend suffered a torn Achilles of his own in April of 2013.
Unfortunately, both players were never the same following their Achilles injuries.
In six NBA seasons before his injury, Jennings averaged 16.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. But over the remainder of his NBA career, he averaged just 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest.
Bryant, for his part, assembled a legendary resume before suffering his Achilles injury, winning five NBA titles, one MVP award and numerous other accolades. But after tearing his Achilles, he had some underwhelming seasons to close out his career. He shot just 36.6 percent from the field and 28.5 percent from deep over his final three seasons in the league.
The G.O.A.T. debate typically features NBA legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan more than anyone else, but Bryant is one player whose name sometimes gets mentioned. Jennings clearly appreciates the career that the late great had, and that may not be a huge surprise given the fact that Jennings was born and raised in Southern California.
The 2024-25 NBA season will begin soon, and Jennings will certainly be keeping a close eye on it even though his time in the league is in the rearview mirror.
