Kobe Bryant: Michael Jordan Is Really Like My Big Brother

Good read. Very insightful....

Added a poll- do you guys think the Mamba or MJ, when all is said and done, will have the "best" overall NBA career, and why?

Michael Jordan because his prime years were not wasted like Kobe's were. Had Kobe had a contending team that stuck together through his prime, I believe he would have had 7+ rings. but shoulda, woulda, coulda.

Michael. He was dominant at both ends of the floor. Even at his old age during the 2nd 3peat. Even if Kobe wins 6 or 7 NBA Championships, Mike is still the man. Kobe would....

They say no one player is bigger than the game. MJ was the only one I ever thought that was!!

There will be other superstars in the future, who will break some of Kobe's records. But Kobe will remain a legend in Los Angeles Basketball as long as Staples Center stands, and maybe longer.

Kobe is for the 00s what Jordan was for 85-95. As he has said, when I am done I want to be remembered as "Kobe Bryant" and not as "the next Jordan". I really can't say which one is better. Jordan has had better averages but came in the league at a more mature age. He also has had much better teammates on average throughout his career. Kobe has been playing in a different NBA, with more athletic defenders but more "female" rules and referees.

Overall, I think they have dominated their era in the same way. They have had the same influence on the game and its fans and their (differented) approach has been same successful and impossible to mimick in the future. When it comes to choosing the best, I think that this can only be derived by considering that Jordan has 6 while Kobe has 5.

I'm the biggest Kobe fan you can be and Kobe does have some traits that are greater then MJ. I do believe Kobe works harder and is a better over all scorer. Kobes normal shot would be considered an incredible shot by anyone else including Jordan. However that is where is ends, Jordan does have the greater career. More Rings, Finals MVP, Season MVP. Career stat avg are the same if not better then Kobe.

Very close and as of right now I don't think another player comes close anytime soon. LeBron would but he has already failed to many times in the playoffs.

The only thing I have to say about Jordan, is that he was the first, the original, and he didn't have Jordan to pattern his game after.

Kobe Bryant will achieve his goal. He will be remembered for his own game, and his work ethic. With Jordan, its his 55 points in MSG the first game back after 2 years off playing baseball. Amazing! With Kobe, it's coming back after monster injuries and 2 years off recuperating from those injuries. Both of these guys are basketball Gods! Neither diminishes the game of the other.

Because of the different rules, different times, and different teammates, it is impossible to do a direct comparison. Maybe you can fault Kobe for not being more cooperative back in the Shaq days, because if he and Shaq had been more cooperative with each other, that team would have dominated for another 3-5 years, and Kobe would have far surpassed Jordan. So physically, I think Kobe may have had a better record (with Shaq on his side) than Jordan, but his personality created the friction that made beating Jordan's records impossible. Jordan never had that problem. The guys he played with wanted to be there, and stayed in Chicago as long as possible. Different personalities do fit into the mix when you compare these two Superstars.

Who cares which was better? They are both fantastic! And watching them work in their prime is pure joy!

Mike and Kobe have mutual respect for each other's game and Kobe holds him in a very high regard. So I think its nice for Kobe to share that sentiment.

People thought the same about Wilt. I imagine also the same for Russel. Dr. J. etc.

Jordon definitely had players before him to learn from: Dr. J, J.West, Baylor, Russel, Wilt, Drexler, even Magic and more.. so if Jordon took the best from all of these, then Kobe also takes the best from these, or by proxy taking the best of Jordon who took the best of the prior... my point is Jordon did have people doing amazing things before him, he just took it further. Kobe is doing the same thing. He may not be going further than Jordon... that'll be the never-ending argument. but just because Jordon did it already shouldn't diminish Kobe's accomplishments.

I can't really answer the poll though.

I was a Lakers fan back when the Jordon-Bulls were winning everything. I was by no means a Chicago fan, like everyone else around me, here in southern California suddenly was lol, but I certainly was as enamored with Jordan as everyone else. I think that they are basically the same person. Any differences could be down to era, situations, rules, etc. I am a Lakers fan, and want to fight the "romanticism" that is placed on the legend of Jordan, even though he really was that good. Many Lakers fans take Kobe too much for granted, but with that said... I would probably have to give Jordan a 1% point better than Kobe... and it might come down to one fact: his bigger hands, lol Those bigger hands of Jordon may be all that separated and made him better. I think Kobe has worked harder than Jordan, so maybe Jordan could have been even better.. .but "could-have-beens" aren't in question and shouldn't ever be.

Heck I was boldly arguing that Magic was better than Jordan back in the day lol

My best friend and I had that argument all the time... and I even knew in the back of my head I was wrong then lol.

The only highpoint of this season will be Bryant exceeding Jordan's scoring record. That's why Kobe was paid so much to stay with the Lakers this season. Nothing else appears to matter. The quality of the team has been compromised by the desire to present this spectacle to the fans. Personally, although this is truly a wonderful event, worthy of glory and praise, I wish the team wasn't sacrificed for this event.

With the salary cap projected to rise again there's going to be a lot of things in play. I do believe that there are some pretty good pieces on this squad, but they just aren't starter material. That being said they could have a place here as bench players given the right price. You guys have a very good pool of player to have one of the top three benches in the NBA, and once Nash comes off the books and a slight decrease in pay for Jeremy Lin that frees up a nice amount of money to add some fire power to this team.

Kobe also had to take a back seat to Shaq. I'm not a Jordan expert either, but I"m going to go out on a limb that he was given ample playing time and a greater focus of the offense the minute he came in (kind of like Lebron was given when drafted by Cleveland). There are so many variables to consider on the Jordan vs. Bryant debate. While I will concede that Jordan does have the better numbers we all have to factor in that there was a lot going against Kobe when he started as a Laker. Personally though there will be a huge feeling of satisfaction when Kobe surpasses Jordan as the third all time scorer. Jordan is a terrible human being, and I would love for him to have less and less of a hold on the G.O.A.T.

lol is that really even a question at this point? Kobe is my all-time favorite player but Jordan is in a league with only Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Magic and Bird in my opinion, they are top tier, Kobe is 2nd tier with guys like Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem and LeBron etc.

Kobe is not a better overall scorer than Jordan was. Kobe is the most complete scorer ever I believe but considering the fact that Jordan averaged more, while being more efficient makes him better. If Kobe didn't have such a poor shot selection he could have been the best. Duncan has a case for having a greater career than Kobe, LeBron possibly when his career ends because he is on pace to being greater thus far, couple more chokes then he will be out of the race.

We are comparing Zeus and Thor. Who is stronger, faster, better, and will be remembered the longest? Both are basketball gods, and comparing them really doesn't do anything for me. They are each extremely competitive, capable individuals who had phenomenal, top .05% careers. The air is so rarefied where these guys breathe that it really doesn't matter. In their prime, either one could squash you like a bug on the basketball court. That's what matters. Each will be remembered for what he brought to the game, their determination, and their true grit when the chips are down. Never say die, that's the motto of the basketball gods. There is no quit in either of these guys. They both deserve high praise, and not a meaningless comparison.