There’s no doubt that when it comes to the greatest shooting guards in the history of the NBA, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade and the late Kobe Bryant are amongst a few others at the top of the list.
For that reason, it was always a joy when the two stars faced off against one another in NBA games. Though the two sadly never competed against each other for the league’s ultimate prize in the NBA Finals, they did have many lively regular season games.
Wade recently took to social media to look back at a regular season matchup in which Bryant “locked my a– up” in the waning seconds of the third quarter of a hotly contested game.
When it comes to their head-to-head matchups, the end result was split nearly even. In fact, in the 20 games that the two played against each other, Wade’s team won 11 of the contests while Bryant’s team won nine. Without question, the two highly competitive men brought the energy and determination in each and every matchup.
As all basketball fans around the world know, Bryant tragically lost his life in a helicopter accident back in 2020. Since his passing, the outpouring of love from basketball players all over the league has been astonishing. It is clear that Bryant inspired an entire generation of basketball players.
Wade is, of course, one of the players that drew a lot of inspiration from Bryant. Not only did the two have similar styles of play, but they also had similar approaches to the game. Their ultra competitive spirits are a big reason why Bryant managed to win five titles in his NBA career while Wade was able to win three.
Now, Wade is part of a very large group of people who make sure to do little things to keep Bryant’s spirit and memory alive. Just over a year ago, Wade made sure to wish Bryant a happy birthday despite his passing. It was a small gesture, but it made it clear that Wade still thinks about him and honoring his memory.