The FIBA World Cup allows some current and former NBA role players to become the focal point of their national teams. One former NBA player took that idea to the next level on Saturday by reminding fans of an NBA legend.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has been out of the league for two years, is playing for Jordan at the World Cup, and he registered 24 points and nine rebounds in a 92-71 loss to Greece.
Although those numbers may not seem gaudy, Hollis-Jefferson’s highlights were so impressive that he reminded many fans of a lefty Kobe Bryant. It helped that the forward is wearing the No. 24, just like Bryant did late in his career.
Kobe must be watching this, smiling. 🥹#FIBAWC x #WinForAll pic.twitter.com/G8QhHDgxFs
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 26, 2023
I’m mad as hell this the first thing I saw when I woke up, and for 5 seconds thought I was watching an old Kobe highlight https://t.co/djOYe81eRp
— Dom2K 🏖🎃 (@Dom_2k) August 26, 2023
He was watching Kobe film all summer just for this moment, brought out that bald cut, the #24 and the Kobe sleeve band, fairs https://t.co/WedKAnRD72
— ً (@FanMahome) August 26, 2023
Didn’t expect to wake up today and see Rondae Hollis Jefferson cosplaying as Kobe but here we are https://t.co/zNpePnDEz9
— Ladi A (@HigashiNY) August 26, 2023
Bro equipped all of Kobe animations 😭😭 https://t.co/r8mhkYqymV
— The Hood Therapist (@OhhMar24) August 26, 2023
left-handed kobe https://t.co/mKISGbX57V
— ziggy ⚡⬆️ (@superHIRRO_) August 26, 2023
Hollis-Jefferson played two years of college basketball at Arizona and was a key member of Wildcats teams that won 67 games and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament twice. He entered the NBA draft in 2015, going to the Nets in the first round, and spent four years in Brooklyn before bouncing from the Raptors to the Blazers in his last two NBA seasons.
RHJ looks like a completely different player. Great to see from Rondae. https://t.co/FjNZkr5pDF
— Brooklyn Three👌🏿 (@TheBKN3) August 26, 2023
Since when could Rondae-Hollis Jefferson move like this https://t.co/E8DzUURr5g
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) August 26, 2023
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson showed this bag while with the Nets in that 2017-18 season where he was the leading scorer on many nights with injuries to D'Angelo Russell and Jeremy Lin. https://t.co/9PnIAxhGRq
— Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) August 26, 2023
The veteran last played in the NBA with Portland in 2021, and he’s played professionally in Puerto Rico and the Philippines since. In the United States, Hollis-Jefferson was never known for his scoring ability, but he’s showing it off at the international level.
