A player to re-Mamba

Jordanian forward likened to late Lakers superstar, Sun Xiaochen reports

The crowd was calling,"Kobe! Kobe!" However, they weren't actually cheering on the late Los Angeles Lakers' legend Kobe Bryant at an NBA game but, rather, Team Jordan's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium during the 19th Asiad.

Hollis-Jefferson's likeness to the Lakers' superstar — in both appearance and performance — has gained the US-born, naturalized Jordanian an enthusiastic fan base in the Hangzhou Games' host nation, where sports fans have long been obsessed with Bryant.

From his spins to his pull-up jumpers and masterful fadeaways, to the Jordanian's No 24 jersey — the same number as Bryant — reminds fans of the iconic Laker, who remains a household name in China.

The scene in Hangzhou unfolded during a game between Jordan and the Philippines.

It was the first Asiad appearance for Hollis-Jefferson, a native of Chester, Pennsylvania, who was a firstround NBA draft pick in 2015 and first represented Jordan as a naturalized player at the FIBA World Cup last month.

The forward had spent six years in NBA obscurity, mostly with the New Jersey Nets, before moving overseas in 2021 to continue his career.

"It's an honor to be compared to my favorite athlete — one of the best to ever play the game," Hollis-Jefferson said, after leading Jordan to beat the Gilas Pilipinas 87-62 in the final group round on Saturday to secure a quarterfinal berth.

"But at the end of the day, you know, Kobe was Kobe. He did things like no one else could. So, to be compared to that I feel extremely humbled and honored.

"I thank the fans here for giving me that love, because without them you wouldn't hear those chants. I appreciate them, and I will continue to keep working."

Hollis-Jefferson put on an all-around display of a game-high 24 points, nine assists, six rebounds and two blocks to guarantee the win on Saturday.

Many people in the stands teared up as the jumbotron showed a fan waving a Bryant jersey to the song See You Again by Charlie Puth, just after Hollis-Jefferson hit a contested jumper at the halftime buzzer.

"I appreciate the love from you guys. Just continue to support me, continue to support basketball because it brings so many people together," said the 28-year-old.

Coming off a perfect 3-0 run in the pool stage, Team Jordan will play either Saudi Arabia or Hong Kong, China, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, with a goal of snatching the country's first basketball gold medal at the continental sporting gala.

Jordan's hope has been to redeem itself following a disappointing World Cup campaign in Manila, where it lost all three group games to miss out on the knockout phase.

"That's what it's all about at the end of the day, getting to know each other a lot more, continuing to work on understanding your teammates' strengths and weaknesses, and to know where they can thrive and then put them in the best position to succeed," Hollis-Jefferson said. "I feel like we are doing that really well (here in Hangzhou)."

After sharing the court with the NBA veteran at two major tournaments in a row, native Jordanian players praised Hollis-Jefferson's contributions to the team on the court and his commitment to blend in with their culture.

"He's doing his thing, and he's playing for the team," said reserve point guard Malek Kanaan.

"He's making the game easier for us and making everybody go hard (in training). He does everything for the team."

According to an earlier report on BasketNews.com, Hollis-Jefferson confirmed that, after the World Cup, he would re-sign with the Manila-based franchise Tropang Giga to continue playing in the Philippine Basketball Association league for the 2023-24 season.

His contract, however, includes an NBA opt-out clause.

After switching leagues for the past two years, Hollis-Jefferson expects that his recent impressive performance in FIBA basketball could help him return to the NBA.

"That's the goal. So, we'll see," said Hollis-Jefferson, who has played in leagues in Turkiye, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines over the past two seasons.