Fondly seen as Kobe Bryant's left-handed doppelgänger, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's latest winning performance for TNT aligned with a date now tragically-significant to the legacy of the Black Mamba.
Through his moves, his jersey number, his sneakers, and even his looks, fans have grown to associate TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as somewhat of a Kobe Bryant doppelgänger.
RHJ has addressed this fact many times in the past, and it’s something that’s just followed him over the last couple of years.
As the world remembers the Lakers great on the fifth anniversary of his tragic passing, Hollis-Jefferson seemingly gave yet another fitting tribute to the Black Mamba, leading his Tropang Giga to a commanding win over defending champion San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Sunday.
RHJ fired an incredible 35 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, pushing TNT closer to a coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.
“We all know how I feel about Kobe, and how much I admire his game. Like I said during the World Cup, he was definitely with me. I watched him, I studied his game,” Hollis-Jefferson said after TNT’s 115-97 victory.
“He was just a workhorse and at the end of the day, he cared about winning. That’s what I try to do every time I get on the court, I try to help my teammates be successful,” he added.
RHJ’s Tropang Giga are now 8-3 for the Commissioner’s Cup, holding their destiny of where they might end up entering the playoffs.
After an uncharacteristic 0-2 start, TNT has been on a tear, with Hollis-Jefferson emphasizing a winning mentality within the champion team.
“I gotta give a lot of credit to [coach] Chot and the coaching staff, they give us a wonderful game plan and all they ask us to do is play hard and give maximum effort. I feel like when you’re not focused and you don’t do that, you let yourself down and you let the staff down,” he said.
“I just had to reiterate that message and let the guys know that we’re here not only for ourselves, but our families, the coaching staff, and the people that's helping us, everybody. This means a lot to them,” RHJ added.
TNT will close the PBA Commissioner's Cup eliminations on Jan. 31 against Rain or Shine, with another win more than likely enough to clinch a top-2 spot and a playoff bonus.