Jarryd Hayne is the equivalent of Lebron James or Kobe Bryant: Andrew Bogut

Jarryd Hayne’s successful transition from the National Rugby League to NFL has made him a fan favourite in his young career with the San Francisco 49ers. While the lime lights of American football has gotten “Hayne Plane” to be a huge star in NFL, Golden State Warriors centre Andrew Bogut revealed Hayne was a bigger hit as a rugby league star.

"A lot of people here don't realise he's the equivalent to our LeBron James or Kobe Bryant," Bogut said during the Warriors’ Media Day, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. "He's that big in Australia.”

Bogut, who won his first NBA title with Golden State in June, was not short in praising fellow Aussie Hayne in his efforts for a remarkable NFL career with the 49ers. The Aussie big man said Hayne is one of the best rugby players in the world and the “feel-good story of the year” for Australia.

Bogut also revealed that he went out to dinner with Hayne earlier this year soon after the latter landed in San Francisco. The 7-foot centre confessed that a “homesick” Hayne was telling him about studying the playbook of American football and how hard it was to dissect it.

The Warriors returned to training on Monday, in a bid to defend their title as NBA champs. But despite a busy schedule in the team’s training camp, Bogut said he would watch Hayne when the 49ers take on the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on Monday.

Meanwhile, Roger Craig, who won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, penned another open letter to the 27-year-old Hayne. Craig, who is contributing for Fox Sports, said in his assessment that the former Eel was the difference maker in the 49ers’ 47-7 crushing defeat against the Arizona Cardinals, and should get more touches on the pitch.

“The 49ers have been patient with their use of Jarryd Hayne through the first three games, but they’ve reached a point where they really need the spark he provides,” Craig wrote. “They have to start inserting him into the offense more and I think they’ll do that against Green Bay this weekend.”

Hayne’s longest punt return in his NFL career came in the second quarter of the 49ers’ loss against the Cardinals. The Australian sensation took the ball at full stride on his own 45-yard line, putting defenders in skates before being pushed out of bounds at the Arizona 10-yard line. Hayne’s 37-yard gain led to the team’s only touchdown of the game courtesy of star quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

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