“If I had a lot of isolations, then our games might be a little more similar” - A young Kobe Bryant explained where his game differs from Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan wasn’t just a six-time NBA champion or a five-time MVP; he was an icon and a role model for numerous other players who wanted to ‘be like Mike.’ One such player was Kobe Bryant , who entered the NBA as one of the greatest prospects ever. He skipped college and was drafted by a Los Angeles Lakers team looking to build a dynasty in the post-Showtime era. With Jordan and the Chicago Bulls ruling the NBA, the young Kobe was seen as the franchise’s first piece in their pursuit of dethroning the champs.

A few years into the NBA, the Lakers guard increasingly drew comparisons to the Bulls guard. In 2000, Bryant officially arrived. Along with the help of Shaquille O’Neal , the guard-center duo led L.A. to its first title since the 80s. No. 8 had his coming out party against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, most notably his 28-point explosion in Game 3 with O’Neal fouled out down the stretch.

As an NBA champion ready to take his game to the next level in the 2000-01 season, many were asking: ‘Is this the next Michael Jordan?’ Being the tough-minded 22-year-old he was, Kobe faced those comparisons head-on and kept his emerging talents in perspective.

“Our games are completely different,” Bryant said per the Los Angeles Times . “If you watch Michael, especially in his early years, which is what they try to compare me to, he had a lot of isolation. If I had a lot of isolations, then our games might be a little more similar. Then I would be able to use my first step. For the most part, I’m off the dribble. I’m handling the ball. I’m coming down, creating, getting to the basket, stuff like that. Mike took one dribble and went to a spot here, or one dribble and went to the basket. He caught the ball in areas where he could immediately operate.”

Endless comparison

Throughout its history, the NBA has thrived on comparisons between players, coaches, and even franchises. This will continue to be the norm, just as the legendary MJ will always be a benchmark for other superstars.

For Kobe, he became just the third player ever to enter the NBA straight out of high school. Like MJ, he was 6-foot-6, graceful in his approach, and had spring-loaded legs.

Foundationally, he had everything that drew him to the Bulls guard. But what really drove the comparisons to the edge was No. 8’s mentality. Despite not yet escaping his premature shell, the young Mamba was intellectual enough to understand why fans would peg him against the world’s greatest player. Did it bother him? No — it fueled him.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to get at,” a 19-year-old Bryant said . “I want people to understand, you know when Dr. J [Julius Erving] was retiring and Jordan came up, people compared him with Dr. J. People are always making comparisons but it’s up to that individual to play with his own identity.”

Bryant looked up to him growing up. His play style and approach to the game, motivations, competitive spirit, and leadership qualities shaped the player that the Lakers superstar became. Later in his career, he even sought Jordan’s personal trainer—Tim Grover—so he could play and condition just like No. 23. During that period from 2007-2012, Bryant won two championships, two finals MVP, and his only MVP in 2008.

Following the footsteps

MJ finished his NBA career with six titles, including two three-peats. Bryant, who many agree is the closest anyone has come to the Chicago star, finished with five titles and one three-peat. They didn’t face off too often as MJ was in the latter stages of his career while Kobe was just beginning to come into his own. However, fans were treated to some notable encounters, including one during the 2002-2003 season when the two stars went head-to-head in Jordan’s last season.

The first was a 1-point victory for the Wizards over the Lakers in November 2002 — a game which saw No. 23 record 25 points on 64.3% shooting. Jordan showed the Lakers superstar how it’s done even at an old age — it drove Bryant to perhaps the angriest he had ever been. He didn’t talk to his teammates for two whole weeks out of spite. But being the competitor that he was, No. 8 got back at his idol in their final matchup in March 2003, scoring 55 points on 51.7% shooting — an official torch-passing moment.

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