Kobe Bryant brushes off comparison with Michael Jordan – NBA Update
Kobe Bryant might be the most cashable and successful star of the last decade, but there is one thing, he has never been able to rid himself of.
It is the comparison between him and the iconic Michael Jordan.
Kobe has always maintained that he cannot rival Jordan’s greatness, but time and again, he is put up with the same query.
The Los Angeles Lakers star was very recently asked the same question again and Bryant again refused to be drawn into a comparison with Jordan.
Bryant has undoubtedly been the best player the NBA has seen since Michael’s heyday. His style and unmatched ability have drawn many comparisons with Jordan and many basketball fanatics say that Kobe is chasing Jordan, in terms of getting to the top of the NBA World.
“Of course, I want to win as many as I can so, by that alone, I’m chasing him,” Bryant said in an interview posted on Hoopsworld. “As long as I’m playing, I want to continue to win more. But it’s never been a direct competition between him and me though because he’s helped me a lot.”
Since coming into the NBA, Kobe Bryant has been viewed as a direct heir to Jordan’s throne. The player has everything one could ask for, and plenty of shades of Jordan to go along with it. He isn’t exactly Jordan, which likely no one will be, but Kobe has certainly been the next best thing.
Kobe further explained that he wanted to achieve as much as he could, and if that caused parallels to be drawn with the Chicago Bulls great, then that wasn’t what he had in mind. Bryant went on to describe the relationship he has had with Jordan over the years and how the now Charlotte Bobcats owner has been guided him over the years. However, Michael being Michael doesn’t want such things publicised;
“He hates when I say it, but I’ll say it anyway: I call him and he calls me right back every time. We talk about things, that’s the kind of relationship we have. I’ve learned so much from him so we can’t have a debate about who is better. You know what I mean? He’s directly influenced me.” Kobe revealed.
Michael Jordan is regarded by the majority of the basketball world as the greatest ever to play the game. When in prime, Jordan was more than unstoppable. Year after year, he dominated NBA and became a symbol of success and excellence in doing so.
Jordan’s charisma, style and success raised his stars to level not seen before and transformed NBA into global phenomenon. In fact, it was because of Jordan’s exploits in the 90’s which made basketball a global force in sports.
Comparing him with Kobe or LeBron James for that matter, does not do justice to the great man.
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