Kobe Bryant on Jerry West saying he's the best prospect he has ever worked with: "I hope so; I better be; I don't know"

The late, great Kobe Bryant entered the pros with a lot of confidence. After all, you do not become one of the best high school players in the country without believing in yourself. However, when the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him with the 13th pick in the now-legendary 1996 NBA Draft at the age of 17, Bryant faced a new challenge: proving himself against seasoned NBA veterans.

One person who saw Bryant's potential early on was Jerry West , the Lakers' icon turned general manager at that time. Bryant had worked out for the Lakers in Los Angeles and tested his mettle against former Lakers Larry Drew and Michael Cooper. It's safe to say that "The Logo" was mightily impressed by what he saw from the standout of Lower Merion High.

A workout to remember

Kobe's performances in his senior year in high school were the stuff of legends. He led the Aces to their first state championship in over 50 years and averaged eye-popping numbers of 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots.

After declaring his intentions to go pro, Kobe attended a pre-draft workout for the Lakers , where Cooper, known for his tenacious defense during his playing years, was tasked with defending the youngster. Showing a doggedness and determination not often seen in players his age, Kobe had his way with the 41-year-old veteran and impressed West so much that the latter immediately declared, "That's the one."

"What amazed me was that the one thing Kobe could do was always go the way he wanted to. Kobe always got the shot that he wanted. He got to his spot. After the workout, I was drenched and I was like, 'Jerry, you know what, I'm taking off the next week," Cooper shared .

"He's the best player we ever worked out, by far," West said in Slam Magazine.

Tempered expectations

As great as Kobe was in high school, he was savvy enough to temper his expectations of his role in the pros. When a reporter asked Kobe if his reputation as stellar talent preceded him, Kobe answered:

"I hope so. I better. be. I don't know. I was good in high school. But the NBA, I don't know. If not, I'll be on the bench cheering the team on," Kobe quipped.

As fate would have it, Kobe was, in fact, as good as advertised. He became an All-Star in his second season in the league and never looked back, winning five NBA titles, two Finals MVP trophies, and one league MVP, to mention a few of his career highlights.

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