"I'm not Michael Jordan. There will never be another Michael Jordan. He is the greatest player of all time and nobody can fill his shoes. Period."

But Kobe Bryant might be the second greatest of all time.

Since legendary NBA star Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in league history to be drafted by a team at 17 years old, he has been compared to the former Bulls legend. Unanimously considered among other NBA greats, coaches, and pundits as the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan immediately established a standard for Kobe Bryant to live up to. Although he never seemed to believe that he could surpass Jordan, Bryant never seem to be fazed by the challenge.

In the wake of so much added publicity for an already internationally beloved sports icon, many seem to have forgotten why the sports world is so appreciative of Bryant and his decorated 20 year career, the entirety of which was spent with the Los Angeles Lakers, making his the longest career ever spent with one team in NBA history.

This year, there is no denying that Kobe is not the same player he once was. Bryant's field goal percentage has slipped drastically to a career worst 35.1 percent. His once formidable and historically acclaimed Los Angeles Lakers squad that helped him win five NBA Championships has also lost its presence as a team to fear around the league, as they finished last season with a 21-61 record, the worst in the history of the 67-year-old franchise.

Nonetheless, any attempt to refute Bryant as a possible runner-up to Jordan in the discussion of the greatest is purely unreasonable. An 18-time NBA All-Star, Bryant holds an NBA record for the most selections (11) to the All-NBA First team and even the record for the most selections (9) to the All-Defensive First Team. Aside from his endless list of NBA records and personal accolades, Bryant has long established himself an international sports figure, as he has been a consistent face for brands that he endorsed throughout his career and frequently attended soccer games overseas in Europe, where he spent the majority of his youth. Even now, with what some call a "grossly overpriced" annual contract at 23.5 million, he still earns more annually through endorsements with Nike, Lenovo, Hublot, and Panini, among other reputable brands.

Now, with less than two months left to tribute one of basketball's most incredible products ever, players, coaches, general managers, owners, and fans alike across the league have stood up for several minutes before games to clap for the most dazzling star the NBA has seen since Jordan. Current NBA MVP Stephen Curry even asked Bryant to autograph a personalized jersey for him in the Western Conference locker room before the All-Star game last weekend. NBA superstars Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade also paid a touching tribute to Bryant over the weekend with a private dinner at the Gentleman's Supper Club in Toronto that ended well after the sun came up. Each of the players, who have all been intense rivals with Bryant over the last several years, presented gifts to Kobe and explained how much he had meant to them all in the ways that he set such astounding standards for younger players and evolved the dynamics of the game with his aggressive scoring style and flashy finishes at the rim.

Just as the league that Bryant was thrown into as a skinny yet poised 17-year-old reflected so many shades of Michael Jordan's style of play, this league now dominated by the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant reflects the shades of the "Black Mamba" slashing to the hoop and finishing on top of seven foot centers or fading away from the basket to sink game winners just as the buzzer expires. Once criticized for being too young and immature to enter the NBA, too egotistical to coexist with Shaquille O'Neal, or too selfish to pass the ball to open teammates, the NBA's newest generation now features a vast collection of historically young superstars, each of whom emulate Bryant's style with aggressive offensive styles and a high volume of shots taken per game.

Kobe Bryant is a legend. He is a legend, however, not only thanks to his jaw-dropping statistics that clearly render him a future unanimous first-ballot Hall of Famer, but also for his somewhat disturbing work-ethic, drive, and cold-blooded will to win. The images of him running down the floor at the Staples Center clenching his teeth with a pumped fist after yet another clutch shot will live on in the stories told by the NBA. His wise words to younger stars in the league will not cease to hold value. And lastly, he will never fade away in the discussion when they talk about the greatest to ever do it in the NBA, even if Bryant says otherwise.