"It's someone that I really look up to" - Tom Brady was in awe of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant's competitive spirit

Tom Brady is often referred to as the GOAT, even though he is still active and playing. Of course, all greats have a role model they look up to and admire. For Brady, it is the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Both are stars in their respective fields. One has to acknowledge their shared spirit and determination to win. After all, both Bryant and Brady have won multiple championships during their careers.

In a 2012 interview, Brady spoke about Bryant and his game, revealing why he idiolized the Los Angeles Lakers star. Bryant, who retired in 2016, was still playing back in 2012.

"I actually saw Kobe Bryant for the first time when they went to the [NBA] Finals in Boston," Brady explained. "It's someone that I really look up to and admire, because of his competitiveness. I'd never met him before. You always watch other athletes and how they play the game and what makes them successful."

He continued:

"You see some of those great caliber athletes. You look up to them and admire what it takes day in and day out to be a great player."

Brady also added Derek Jeter to the list, referring to the baseball star as another athlete he looks up to.

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Tom Brady paid Kobe Bryant a final tribute earlier this year

On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant lost his life in a helicopter crash. Naturally, the world was shaken by the tragedy, with players and fans coming together to pay their respects to Bryant and his legacy.

Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers v San Francisco 49ers game

Brady, a fan, was no different.

During an episode of the Let’s Go podcast, Brady spoke about Bryant and how lucky he is to still be able to play.

“We never know what’s going to happen in the future, we really don’t,” Tom Brady said. “I mean, Kobe Bryant, a friend of ours, God rest his soul. You think you’re going to live forever, we’re not. We think we’re going to play forever, we’re not."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star added that one has to enjoy the current moments. Furthermore, even if one loses, Brady made sure to keep a positive spin on the situation, just be glad to be a part of it.

That being said, a few comparisons could be drawn between Brady and Bryant.

Both have won multiple titles during their careers. Many refer to them as the best the game has ever seen. However, while Bryant spent all 20 years of his NBA career with the Lakers, Tom Brady moved to the Bucs after his successful 20 years with the New England Patriots.

Not only did he move, he also won his seventh Super Bowl with the team.

Bryant won five NBA championships in total, the last one being in 2010, six years before he retired.