Kobe Bufkin is one of the greatest prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft. The shooting guard is 19-years old and had a great tenure at the college level with the Michigan Wolverines. As an amazing four-star recruit, he turned down offers from other big programs such as Ohio State, Michigan State and LSU.

Bufkin showed his enormous potential since his days at Grand Rapids Christian High School in Michigan. The guard never averaged less than 20 points per game and that’s why he was followed very closely by the Wolverines even after a wrist injury in his senior year.

Now, Kobe Bufkin could be a big splash in the NBA Draft. Of course, considering his name, thousands of fans have wondered if the young player is related to the legendary star of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant.

Is Kobe Bufkin related to Kobe Bryant?

Kobe Bufkin might be taken in the Top 10 of the 2023 NBA Draft. According to many scouts, he could become an offensive threat as a sensational outside shooter. However, there’s no bond at all with Kobe Bryant.

The story with Kobe Bufkin is that he was named by his family after Kobe Bryant. The same thing happened with his brothers Isiah and Michael, because they wanted to honor Isaiah Thomas and Michael Jordan.

So, it’s just a family thing as they’re huge basketball fans. “My mom says I wasn’t (named after Kobe), but she was a huge Kobe fan. So yeah. We argue about it all the time.”