Lead Writer
Each year when the NBA’s new crop of drafted rookies gather for the offseason photo shoot during the summer, NBA.com surveys the group to get their thoughts on the league’s current players as well as predictions for the future of that year’s draft class.
The rookies were asked to vote on several topics, with the biggest one being who all 36 thought was their favorite player in the league.
In a vote that wasn’t nearly as close some would have thought, the 2013 NBA rookie class voted Kobe Bryant their favorite player in the league with 21 percent of the vote.
The reigning king and MVP, LeBron James, came in second. Here are the full results:
1: Kobe Bryant — 21.2 percent
2: LeBron James— 15.2 percent
3 (Tie): Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki — 12.1 percent
5 (Tie): Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul — 9.1 percent
Others receiving votes: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tim Duncan, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade
The vote shouldn’t have been that big of a surprise. Kobe entered the league in 1996, so most of this year's rookie class most likely grew up watching the Black Mamba.
