Everyone wanted to be like Mike.
Few took that as literally as Kobe Bryant.
No players has embodied Jordan’s greatness more than Kobe BryantGetty
It’s no secret that the late, great Los Angeles Lakers legend looked up to the Chicago Bulls icon growing up.
Bryant’s idolization of ‘Air Jordan’ bordered on the obsessive and he modeled his entire game on the six-time NBA champion.
‘Bean’s’ adoration of ‘His Airness’ started when he was young and continued throughout his time as a high school basketball prodigy making serious waves in Philadelphia.
Kobe eventually finished as Pennsylvania’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing fellow Laker great Wilt Chamberlain.
Bryant capitalized on the prep-to-pro movement at the time, a trail previously blazed by prodigious stars like Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett.
The then-17-year-old followed suit, electing to skip playing in the NCAA to ultimately become the NBA’s next big thing.
However, there was one huge reason why Kobe decided to skip college and declare for the 1996 NBA Draft.
John Salley, a former teammate of MJ and Kobe, recently appeared on Byron Scott’s podcast where he revealed why Kobe forewent college.
“I said to him, ‘Why’d you not go to college?’ ” Salley recalled.
“And he says, ‘I heard MJ was going to retire.’ And that was his reason for not going to college,” Salley added.
Salley recalled Kobe telling him he skipped college just so he could play against JordanYouTube@ByronScottFastBreak
Kobe idolized six-time NBA champion JordanAFP
“He goes, ‘Yeah, he was going to retire, and I wanted to make sure I played against him. I didn’t want to go to college and miss the opportunity of playing against MJ.’”
“He was serious. He was like, ‘I wanted to play against him.’ He knew every single thing about MJ, and he felt he had the same mentality—and Kobe did, man. He really did,” Salley added.
Bryant’s dream was realized when he faced his idol in 1996, when Jordan was at the peak of his powers and Kobe was rocking the famous purple and gold.
In the Showtime/CBS Sports documentary ‘Kobe Bryant’s Muse’ from 2015, Kobe recalled what it was like coming face to face with his hero.
“First time I was getting ready to face Jordan. I had a teammate and he goes to me and said, ‘Hey, you want some advice? Whatever you do, don’t look him [Jordan] in the eye,’” Bryant explained.
“Wait, excuse me? Why the hell would I not look him in the eye? I don’t think my teammate understood that I’m that too. Can’t f****** look me in the eye either, buddy.”
Bryant was relentless in his pursuit of wanting to surpass Jordan in everything he didVINCENT LAFORET/AFP via Getty Images
Kobe actually had a winning record against MJReuters
Kobe was nothing if not fearless, and actually enjoyed a winning record against No. 23 during his career, going 5-3.
Bryant averaged 22.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in matchups against Jordan, while the Chicago superstar put up 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists playing against a young Kobe.
Kobe was famously aloof during his career, often working out in solitude and refusing to speak to his own teammates.
However, his deference for Jordan never wavered, and Mike was the one NBA player Kobe could truly open up to.
“Michael, in particular, he’s become my big brother. He’s been my big brother since I first came in the league,” the 18-time All-Star said in a 2019 interview.
“What was that process like? I went to them and started understanding the ins and outs of the game, how they approached things in their level of detail and obsessiveness, and that’s what I did.”
“I don’t know if he opened up with me more than he did with other players. I’m not sure. I don’t know if other players had the balls even to ask. But we have a really, really good relationship,” the Lakers legend added.
Kobe said they had a brotherly relationship despite their on-court rivalryGetty
For many, Jordan is the GOAT.
But virtual clone Kobe was moulded in MJ’s image and is the closest thing we’ve seen to Mike.
His relentless work ethic, assassin’s mentality, killer instinct and desire to be the best was Jordan esque, and has rarely — if ever — been seen since.
Kobe’s a five-time NBA champion, 15-time All-NBA selection, the 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP and two-time scoring champion, and one of the greatest to ever do it.
He may never have surpassed Jordan’s legacy, but he realized his dream of playing against MJ before he retired and became his respected ‘little brother’ in the process.
