Kobe Bryant is approaching a year of retirement but his legacy lives on. Having dominated the league for almost two decades, the shooting guard is now a benchmark for all young guys wanting to write their names in history.

Five titles, an MVP award, two Finals MVP crowns, 18 All-Star votes, 15 All-NBA selections and 12 All-Defensive team picks make him one of the greatest ever. 

Bryant is now fully focused on his post-NBA endeavours. His storytelling and business ventures have consumed most of his time, but the 38-year-old still has an avid interest in the league, despite admitting the day-to-day front office job did not interest him. 

There were many comparisons between Bryant and Devin Booker after the young Phoenix Suns shooting guard dropped 70 points in a loss to the Boston Celtics. However, there will never be another player in the NBA quite like the Black Mamba. 

Speaking recently to Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman on ESPN's First Take, the L.A. Lakers legend spoke about his favourite players in the league. Unsurprisingly, his list of stars included the most passionate and driven in the game.

Bryant said: "There's three that I really enjoy watching: Russell (Westbrook), James (Harden), Kawhi (Leonard) - I love watching that generation, Kyrie (Irving). I love watching them play, I just love watching them play.

"Kawhi has been able to do with the spots that he operates from is the exact same spots I like to operate from. The elbow, the mid-post, the one-two bump, turn left shoulder, fade, turn right shoulder, fade - I love watching those guys play."

Listening to the former All-Star talk, you can tell he yearns to be back on the court, but the players he name-dropped are trailblazing a new era of NBA basketball. Harden, Westbrook and Leonard are the three players in contention for the prestigious MVP award, and their statistics this season have been simply mind-blowing. 

Despite averaging a triple-double, Russ is only the second favourite behind Harden, who has dropped 58 double-doubles and led a Houston team tipped to miss the playoffs to third in the Western Conference. As for Kawhi, well the impact Kawhi's 26 points and 5.9 rebounds are having on the San Antonio Spurs as they cling on to the coattails of the Golden State Warriors. 

It still seems surreal that Bryant is no longer in the NBA, but his legacy is being developed by these younger stars. The Mamba mentality is alive and well.