Watch: Conor McGregor posts throwback video of the late and great Kobe Bryant's opinion on him

Conor McGregor recently shared a video of the late, great Kobe Bryant speaking about the Irish superstar. On January 26th, 2020, the basketball icon tragically passed away, along with his thirteen-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, when their helicopter crashed on the way to Gianna's basketball game.

Bryant was a legend of the sport and an icon for many, and his passing reverberated throughout the global public. In the clip, Bryant was asked about his opinion of Conor McGregor, and he heaped praise on 'The Notorious', saying:

"Conor's an animal, bro. Conor's an animal. I think his personality, I think his temperament, I think his style, on top of the genius nature in which he fights with, gives him an opportunity to really propel the league to another level. I love everything about Conor."

'The Black Mamba' was known for his 'Mamba Mentality', which can be interpreted as his hyper-driven, self-aware sense of ambition, and his ability to outwork the competition, allowing him to trust in his hard work when it mattered most.

Bryant and McGregor are similar in this regard, as both were credited for their ability to dominate the mental aspect of their sport. Most believed this perspective was key to their respective rises to the top of their professions.

Bryant clearly saw and appreciated that similarity in the Irishman, and the fact that his words still hold weight with McGregor years after his passing illustrates the astronomical impact he had on so many people.

Below is the original post, which McGregor then shared on his story:

---

Conor McGregor quotes Kobe Bryant in seperate post

Alongside posting the clip on his story, McGregor also posted pictures of his lunch and shared a Kobe quote that motivates him to "continue to go so hard." The quote in reference depicted Bryant's iconic quote: "Jobs not finished."

This quote is from the post-game interview for Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Bryant's Lakers had just won the second game of the series to go up 2-0, and when the NBA legend was asked why he didn't look happy, he appropriately replied.

Conor McGregor seems to be implying that he is still motivated to compete and, perhaps, make a run back to the pinnacle of the sport. McGregor hasn't fought since July 2021, when he fractured his tibia and fibia in a loss to Dustin Poirier.

Bryant was able to make a successful comeback after tearing his achilles tendon, which is remarkable, given a third of NBA players that suffer the injury never play again. Bryant is proof that a devastating setback doesn't have to end your career, so it makes sense why the Irishman is using him as inspiration.