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Kobe: Westbrook plays with the same intensity that I did

Kirby Lee / USA TODAY Sports

With Kobe Bryant now retired, the title of the league's fiercest competitor is officially up for grabs.

While a number of players around the NBA are certainly worthy of earning that moniker, Bryant believes that Russell Westbrook's intensity on the court most closely resembles his own.

"When I turn on the TV and watch players play, the player that plays with the same kind of emotion, grit, and competitive intensity, is Russell (Westbrook)," Bryant said on The Jim Rome Show. "He's going hard. It doesn't matter who he's playing against, it doesn't matter what the odds are, he's going. He's going 110 percent every single time."

Related: Durant, Westbrook gift Kobe personalized photo book

Kobe has been supportive of the five-time All-Star in the past, reprimanding Westbrook's detractors back in 2014-15 after the Thunder guard was unfairly criticized following a highly productive, yet inefficient performance.

The Los Angeles Lakers great isn't the only all-time great to praise Westbrook in recent weeks, as Michael Jordan also compared himself to the 27-year-old earlier this month.

While Westbrook's resume doesn't quite match up with Bryant's at this point in time, the California native once again could find himself compared to The Black Mamba should he lead the Thunder deep into the playoffs without the services of Kevin Durant.

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