With his rich stash of individual awards and team accolades, Kobe Bryant became one of the most recognizable basketball players on the planet. However, one highly opinionated personality believes that Bryant's popularity can be credited to a multi-billion dollar company.A video clip posted Monday on Instagram shows LaVar Ball making a wild claim about Bryant's legacy. According to Ball, it was Nike that was responsible for putting the five-time NBA champion on the map."You heard of Kobe Bryant, you heard of Tiger Woods...you know why you know them? Because of Nike," Ball told his companions in the clip. "You not gon' know them today if it weren't for Nike." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBall, whose children include current NBA players Lonzo and LaMelo as well as hip hop star Gelo, went on to imply that chance also played a role in Bryant's success."There's a lot of suckers that could play, that's cold as hell," Ball pointed out. "Nike gon' choose who they want."It should be noted, though, that the late Bryant was signed to Adidas for the first six years of his NBA career. During that span, the LA Lakers superstar had risen to prominence with three NBA championships, three All-NBA selections, and four All-Star nods.Ironically, when Bryant signed with Nike in 2003, he was just starting a championship drought that wouldn't be quenched till the end of the decade. Bryant's Lakers would struggle to contend for the playoffs for a certain stretch while he also dealt with personal issues off the court.All told, Bryant capped of his 20-year NBA career as one of the most feared closers the game had ever seen. Whether or not Nike deserves the lion's share of credit for his stardom is a matter of debate. Ball, however, has made it clear where he stands in that conversation.Luka Doncic ties record held by Kobe Bryant and four other Laker legendsTo this day, Bryant owns (or co-owns) a number of franchise and league records that serve as a barometer of success for current stars.Heading into this weekend, Bryant was one of five Lakers to have six consecutive games with 30 points or more. Luka Doncic went on to join this elite list by scoring 34 in the Lakers' Sunday night win over the New Orleans Pelicans.NBA @NBALINKLuka Dončić is now the 6th player in Lakers franchise history to have 6 consecutive 30+ PT games! He joins: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Elgin BaylorDoncic can break this record co-owned by Bryant if he scores at least 30 points in the Lakers' showdown against the Phoenix Suns on Monday.