Snoop Dogg says Steph Curry closest to Kobe Bryant in today’s NBA

Musician, Lakers fan and cannabis enthusiast Snoop Dogg appeared during an ESPN NBA broadcast, comparing Steph Curry to Kobe Bryant.

Comparing players of different eras is something of an NBA media obsession — who is the closest thing to Michael Jordan in today’s NBA? How does LeBron James compare to Magic Johnson as a passer? Who reminds you most of Kobe Bryant?

That latter question was asked of Snoop Dogg during an alternate telecast of Wednesday night’s Raptors-Bulls NBA Play-In Tournament game, by host Stephen A. Smith. Snoop, a lifelong Lakers fan, abandoned any physical or stylistic comparisons and went right for Kobe’s legendary “killer instinct.”

Does the Steph Curry to Kobe Bryant comparison made by Snoop Dogg hold up?

On the narrow criteria Snoop focused on, the comparison makes sense, although you could argue he has it backward. Yes, Kobe has five rings to Curry’s three. But Curry has averaged more points per game in the playoffs over this career, shooting better on 2-pointers, 3-pointers and from the free-throw line. The same is true if you filter down to just the NBA Finals.

If you want to look at just clutch scenarios in their careers, Kobe posted an effective field goal percentage of 43.5 on 1400 shots within the final three minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, with the score within five points either way, in the regular season or playoffs. Curry’s effective field goal percentage in the same scenarios is 48.6 percent on 657 shots. Shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute, regular season or playoffs? That’s Curry too — a 45.9 effective field goal percentage to 40.2 for Kobe.

In terms of killer instinct, maybe Steph Curry is the template we should be measuring everyone against?

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