Late Kobe Bryant Finds a Young Fan in American Tennis Star Mackenzie McDonald as He Pays Heart-Felt Tribute to the NBA Legend

With 4 All-Star MVP Awards in his bag, Kobe Bryant has long entrenched his position as a legendary figure, not just in the basketball circuit, but in the entire sporting community. While amassing a number of honors and awards, the former Los Angeles Lakers star undoubtedly won the hearts of many fans over the course of his two-decade-long basketball journey.

His tremendous impact has transcended beyond the sport’s traditional boundaries and has reverberated throughout the tennis realm as well. Even the American tennis star, Mackenzie McDonald has recently candidly expressed his respect and admiration towards the NBA legend while making a bold assertion about him. Let’s find out here.

Mackenzie McDonald hails Kobe Bryant in an honest confession

In a recent interview with ATPTour.com, McDonald didn’t shy away from speaking about his views on the former Los Angeles Lakers star. It came after McDonald was asked who he would like to have dinner with if he could choose any three among the notable figures around the globe.

In his honest response, the American tennis star picked the NBA legend, Kobe Bryant alongside some of the other prominent figures like Bob Marley. He said, “I wish I could go Kobe Bryant. Kobe, Bob Marley, and John Wooden, UCLA legend.”

Apart from this, the American basketball legend’s most admirable quality was also a question that was posed to the 28-year-old player. While emphasizing the same, McDonald hailed the former All-Star MVP Awards winner as his “favorite competitor” in the entire sporting community. He said, “Everything. The guy is one of my favorite competitors of all time.”

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Apart from McDonald, there is another prominent figure in the men’s circuit who has always admired Bryant.

Another ATP player idolizes the LA Lakers legend

Just like the American, the ‘bad boy of tennis,’  Nick Kyrgios‘ admiration for Bryant has never been kept hidden from the public lens. After his tragic passing away in 2020, the Aussie ATP star previously came up with a heartfelt tribute to the NBA legend. In his tribute to his idol a few seasons back, the controversial tennis player revealed a new sleeve tattoo dedicated to the American basketball great.

Apart from this, the former Wimbledon finalist previously donned a t-shirt with the NBA star’s photo imprinted on it as he wanted to give another tribute to his idol.

What do you think of the tennis stars, McDonald and Kyrgios‘ admiration for the NBA legend? Let us know in the comments section.

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