When it comes to Kobe Bryant, there will likely never be another like him. The late-great former Los Angeles Lakers star, though, has a namesake that is hoping to take his own career to the next level.
Kobe Bufkin, the No. 15 pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023 NBA Draft, had himself a breakout game in the NBA Summer League. The 6-foot-4 guard shined at Michigan before being selected by the Hawks.
The third-year guard went off in a 105-98 win for the Hawks over the Miami Heat in Las Vegas Friday afternoon, scoring 29 points while going 15-for-15 from the free throw line.
And Bufkin did all of that in just 26 minutes of game action, as he also had three rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Kobe Bufkin drops 29 PTS in the Hawks' #NBA2KSummerLeague opener 🔥🔥
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2025
Adds 3 REB, 3 AST, & 2 BLK as ATL completes the 4Q comeback over Miami! pic.twitter.com/tionVZSOGe
In high school, Bufkin positioned himself as one of the top juniors in Michigan, landing on ranking lists alongside the likes of Emoni Bates and Caleb Furst. A fractured wrist took away playing time as a senior, but the four-star recruit earned an offer from Michigan.
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Following a freshman season in which he averaged just over 10 minutes per game, Bufkin boosted that number to 34 as a sophomore, scoring 14 points with 4.5 rebounds and three assists a night.
He entered the NBA Draft after the season ended and was tabbed by the Hawks. Bufkin has played in 27 games in his NBA career, averaging five points with two rebounds.
During a win last year over New Orleans, he scored 10 points. Bufkin also had 31 in the 2024-25 preseason against Oklahoma City where he knocked down seven 3-pointers.
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