Photo: Kobe Bryant (Instagram) Kobe Bryant , the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player, was a big fan of basketball his whole life. From a young age, he watched NBA players and learned from them, wanting to be just like them. Bryant especially looked up to Michael Jordan and modeled his game after him. Many people even compared Bryant to Jordan, saying he was the closest player to Jordan since his retirement. But Jordan wasn't the only player Bryant studied. He also admired other greats to improve his own game. One player he respected a lot was Julius Erving, also known as Dr. J, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers. Photo: Kobe Bryant (Instagram) Erving was known for his amazing athleticism and creativity on the court. He helped lead the 76ers to an NBA championship in 1983. In 2008, Bryant told Slam magazine that he wished he had some of Erving's skills, particularly his large hands, which allowed Erving to do incredible things with the basketball. "I wish I had his hand...