Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan will forever be linked

MANILA, Philippines – There are few times when, after reading a paragraph or two from a chapter in a book I’m heavily invested in, I put the piece of literature down, stay quiet for a few moments, and then finally let it out:  

“Wow.” 

That was the reaction I had a year ago as I read Phil Jackson’s latest autobiography, Eleven Rings, where he recounted in detail each of the 11 seasons he led either the Chicago Bulls or Los Angeles Lakers atop the NBA pyramid.  

On one page, Jackson told the story about when he first introduced the brash, young Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan, who at that time was already regarded as the greatest player to ever set foot in the NBA. Bryant was far away from becoming the legend he was going to be, yet his disposition was already as headstrong as ever. 

“You know I can kick your ass one-on-one,” Bryant told MJ, according to Jackson.  

Did he ever? We don’t know, and probably never will, unless a tape catching the two legends going at it surfaces one day to send the basketball world into a frenzy. But even if they didn’t, both Jordan and Kobe will be forever connected.

On Monday, December 15 (PH time), Bryant overtook Jordan for third place in the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorers list, just behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. It’s a legendary feat and there’s no other way of putting it. 

I’ve never liked comparing two NBA players with each other. Basketball, after all, is a team game. There are many factors that affect individual performances within a collective concept.  

For example, Bryant is averaging about 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists a game this NBA season. LeBron James is close to 26-6-8. Does that mean Kobe’s overall capabilities is at the same level as LeBron’s? Of course not. Bryant’s usage rate in LA is much higher because of the lack of talent he has around him, which means he has the ball more and dictates the offense more than James in Cleveland, where Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also take turns handling the offense. 

Let’s compare Kobe and Jordan for argument’s sake, starting with the numbers.

Both can score. That’s why one has a total of 32,284 points in his career while the other has 32,292. But who was more effective?

In the 15 regular seasons he spent in the NBA (including his two abysmal campaigns with the Washington Wizards), Jordan shot over 50% from the floor six times. In Bryant’s 18 seasons in the NBA (excluding this current one), he’s shot over 50% a grand total of 0 times. His best shooting average was in the 2001-2002 season when he shot 47% from the field.   

Here’s another key factor: Jordan took 1,778 3-pointers in his career and made 581. Bryant took 5,022 and hit 1,675. Kobe was far and away the better 3-point shooter, which made putting up points easier, though that played a major role with his relatively unimpressive FG averages. 

Jordan has more playoff points, 5,987, compared to Kobe, who has 5,640. Jordan’s PPG average is at 30.1, while Bryant’s is at 25.5. Jordan has won 10 NBA scoring titles, Kobe has two. Jordan has five NBA MVP awards, six rings, and as many Finals MVPs; Kobe has one, five, and two. Jordan’s career PER (effectiveness rating) is at 30.1, Kobe’s is at 25.5.

It’s also worth mentioning that Jordan reached 32, 292 points on 1,072 games and 28, 389 shot attempts. Kobe reached 32, 310 points on 1,269 games and 29,172 shot attempts.

A Different Game

MJ also spent nearly the entirety of his career in an NBA era where hand-checking was common, making it harder for perimeter-oriented players to attack the rim and get to their spots for jumpers. The latter stages of Bryant’s career were played in a friendlier period of the league, where hard fouls became instant flagrants and the rise of the pick-and-roll offense made it easier to get to the paint for guards.   

Here’s another major thing: Jordan was the unquestioned best player not only in the league but also on his team during each season the Bulls reigned supreme over the NBA. The disparity between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal during the Lakers’ three-peat dynasty in the turn of the century wasn’t that wide, but it was clear Shaq was the best player on those teams, as supported by the three finals MVPs he won during each title season. Think of the big man as the 1A, while Kobe was 1B.

It would have been nice to compare the head-to-head matchups between both Jordan and Kobe during the primes of their careers, but time robbed us of that. Both guys have faced each other a total of 11 times, including All-Star Games. It would be unideal to compare their performances against one another since most of their earlier encounters took place with Jordan late in his prime while Kobe had just entered the league, while the latter ones pitted MJ’s 40-year-old self against a Bryant in his prime with a much superior team.

If we compare Kobe’s career to to Jordan’s, it’s clear who’s the leader of the race. Bryant has been in the league much longer owing to his draft declaration at 17-years-old, giving him more minutes and opportunities to fill up scoreboards, which he continues to do now even at an advanced age. 

But Jordan’s talents were on a different level, and the competition he faced was much stiffer: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, The Bad Boy Pistons, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Stockton and Malone, Kemp and Payton, Orlando Shaq and Penny, Reggie Miller’s Pacers, Pat Riley and Patrick Ewing’s Knicks, Charles Barkley. 

Truth be told: if we compare any player in NBA history to MJ and try to decide who had a better career, everyone else would lose to Jordan. So it shouldn’t hinder the legacy of Bryant, who has been special in his own right. 

Think about how many stars were deemed “The Next Jordan” and were expected to take the reins of the NBA after the retirement His Airness. Vince Carter never fulfilled his potential. Tracy McGrady was hounded by injuries. Allen Iverson had too many issues off the court. Dwyane Wade’s knees gave in as he reached his 30s while he surrendered the keys to Miami to LeBron. James was supposed to be that guy (he even adopted the no. 23 jersey and Jordan’s chalk toss), but it turns out he’s more of a combination of Magic and Larry’s unselfishness and versatility than he is the assassin that Jordan was.  

Who has been the NBA superstar that has most closely resembled everything Jordan was? It’s Bryant. From his ability to hit incredible shots, to his clutch instincts, to his preference to operate from the post, to his willingness to call out teammates and ridicule haters, to the fear he puts in the eyes of his rivals and adversaries, and to almost everything else, The Black Mamba has been the closest thing the world has seen to MJ. 

That’s why the two will always be linked to each other. Bryant may have not matched the accomplishments of his predecessor, but he got pretty darn close. Some say there will never be another Michael Jordan. Well there will also never be another Kobe Bryant. Most importantly, both will always be remembered by the history books, regardless of whom the record books say is better. 

It’s just a shame we never found out if what young Kobe told prime Jordan was true.

Statistics in this article were taken from ESPN and SB Nation. 

– Rappler.com