"People thought I was nuts" - Doc Rivers believed Kobe Bryant was as good as Michael Jordan long before the GOAT debate began

Some may not know, but Doc Rivers worked as an NBA TV analyst after he was fired as the Orlando Magic head coach and before returning to coaching in 2004. At the time, Rivers said he was already convinced that Kobe Bryant was on the same footing as Michael Jordan regarding individual skills.

While Rivers has earned credibility for his insightful commentary and deep understanding of the game, he revealed that most people didn't think his analysis was valid then. According to Doc, most people didn't see Bryant as equal to Jordan back then, and his take was often deemed biased.

"He's right there (with Jordan)," Rivers said in 2008. "I've said it longer than most people wanted to give him credit. When I was doing TV, I put him up with Jordan, and people thought I was nuts."

Doc got tired of the Kobe-MJ comparisons

Bryant once admitted that it was only after the 2002-03 season that he knew his game reached its peak. In retrospect, it was around the same time Rivers acknowledged Kobe's skill level as identical to Jordan 's.

It is also worth noting that the GOAT debate had yet to emerge at the time. That said, Rivers had already considered Bryant a GOAT candidate long before everybody began talking about it.

Admittedly, Doc had grown tired of the Kobe-MJ comparisons as he always believed Bryant was as great as Jordan. In fact, Rivers said that over time, he got more interested in discussing what Kobe couldn't possibly do and accomplish as a player.

"Kobe's right there. He's got it all. What can't he do would be a better way of talking about him," Rivers pointed out.

What are MJ and Kobe's differences?

Bryant and Jordan are celebrated for their scoring prowess, competitive spirit, and clutch performances. Their dedication to perfecting their craft and pushing the boundaries of what was possible on the court set them apart as true icons of the game.

Skill-wise, Kobe's footwork, fadeaway jump shot, and unrelenting drive to win mirrored Jordan's. But while everything seemed similar, Bryant once singled out the difference between him and MJ.

"It's fun, we're really different. He's crazy; he'll compete at anything. He'll compete with any and everything; I won't. I'll only compete with things I'm good at," Kobe once said of Jordan on All The Smoke podcast.

In the end, whether one believes Bryant deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Jordan or not, there is no denying the profound impact both players have had on the game of basketball and the hearts of fans worldwide.

Related: "Put that b*tch as* n**** through the goddamn hole" - When Kobe went off on Shaq to dunk on Duncan