Back to the Los Angeles Lakers Newsfeed

Chris Webber calls Kobe Bryant 'one of the greatest competitors ever'

One of the Shaq-Kobe Lakers' biggest rivals still can appreciate Bryant's game.

Kobe Bryant will retire this season upon the conclusion of his 20th NBA campaign, and he's made his fair share of rivals throughout his time in the league. Arguably most memorable of Bryant's Lakers' foes were the Sacramento Kings of the early 2000's that the Lakers had numerous hard fought battles with, culminating in the 2002 Western Conference Finals, in which the two-time defending champion Lakers knocking off the Kings in a game seven that went to overtime.

Chris Webber was the leader of those Kings teams, and while he acknowledges that he was likely denied a championship because of the existence of those Lakers teams starring Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, it has not kept him from appreciating Kobe's legendary career.