Kobe Bryant is name that will forever live in the minds of hearts of those that watched him play and will live even longer in the text of NBA legend. 

One of the greatest players ever, Bryant's body of work is incomparable except to a select few that share space with him in the upper echelons of NBA history. His skill and dedication, as well, are even more well known that his championship successes. 

That's why anything close to a comparison to the late Bryant is lofty praise for any player and in an episode of Bryan Scott's Fastbreak Podcast, retired NBA player and former Laker himself Danny Green dared to make such a comparison between Bryant and Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. 

To be clear, Green didn't go far as to say that Leonard's postseason success or overall accolades surpass Bryant's. Numbers don't lie in that regard: Bryant has the advantage in overall NBA championships and has one regular season MVP award to none by Leonard. Though it is worth noting that both players have two Finals MVPs. 

Green added the the caveat that had Leonard's career not been so severely affected by injuries at this point in his career, that career success discussion may be a bit closer.

Though, Green's ultimate point was that Leonard had all the makings to be better than Bryant by the end of his career had he had the benefit of health throughout his playing days up to this point.

"Do I think he surpassed Kobe Bryant? No. The body of work that Kobe has done and again… I think he [Leonard] had the tools (to surpass him) if he had stayed healthy. He was one of the best two-way players I've seen play the game," Green said (via HoopsHype). 

Green lauded Leonard's raw talents, but he has been even more impressed by Leonard's development as a player over the years. 

He admitted that looking at Leonard at the beginning of his career with the Spurs, Green would never have predicted that Leonard would be the skillful and dynamic player that he is today with the Clippers, or that he would be able to rise as one of the league's best players at the peak of his powers. 

That's what Green finds so impressive about Leonard now, the player that he's been developed into by his series of coaches across three teams, with Spurs' longtime coach Greg Popovich likely playing the largest role in that regard, having Leonard at the beginning of his career.

"If you're looking at skill work, Kawhi is one of the most amazing improvements I've ever seen in my life. Like a guy that you'd never seen coming was when he came in to San Antonio, I didn't think he'd be great.... What they developed him into, unbelievable," Green said. 

Now, Leonard has his legs back under him after another injury kept him out for several weeks early this season and now that he's back on the court, he's been by far the biggest difference maker for a Clippers team that has gone 13-3 since turning their season around. 

He may not be Kobe Bryant, but Green is on to something when considering Leonard a force to be reckoned with.