“He was so intent on being like Michael"- A former Kobe teammate unfolds the Mamba mentality, says Kobe was focused on being better than Michael Jordan
Former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant's comparison with his idol Michael Jordan will stand the test of time. The former LA Lakers great's playing style is essentially a carbon copy of Jordan. Former teammates have shared stories of how Bryant wanted to mimic everything Jordan did.
Eddie Jones is one such teammate who divulged information about Bryant's need to be better than Jordan. Making an appearance in a documentary on Hulu about the LA Lakers, Jones spoke about how Bryant mimicked everything Jordan did.
"He was so intent on being like Michael. Being better than Michael," Eddie Jones said.
Another teammate who spoke about the same obsession is Nick Van Exel. He spoke about how Bryant used to borrow tapes of Jordan and tried to pick things up from his game.
"Everything that MJ did, Kobe did. Like the chewing of the gum, the walking, the moves, the footwork," Van Exel said. "I used to have VHS tapes, back in the day, full of highlights of Michael Jordan. Kobe asked to borrow them and I have never seen those tapes again."
Jones played for the Lakers from 1994 to 1999 and it was during that time that Bryant was drafted. Meanwhile, Van Exel played for the franchise from 1993 to 1998. Both players saw Bryant grow into a perennial All-Star.
Nick Van Exel on @kobebryant:
“Everything that MJ did Kobe did like the chewing of the gum, the walking... I used have VHS tapes full of highlights of MJ Kobe asked borrow them &I Vee never seen those tapes again,” says @vanexel31.
#LakersDoc #Lakeshow #NBATwitter https://t.co/xhnv98hmZJ
Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan comparisons
Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan's playing style on the court was uncanny. The duo played the same position and are considered to be arguably the greatest scorers of all time. Bryant and Jordan were also of the same height and possessed finesse and brought showmanship to the game.
It is rumored that Bryant decided to wear 24 on his jersey because he wanted his number to be one higher than Jordan's 23. The duo were serial competitors who stood at nothing until they achieved their goal. Both have transcended the sport with their influence. They have always been deeply revered by their peers and folks from other walks of life.
Adjusting every season to 2022 pace, only two players would average at least 38 PPG:
2006 Kobe Bryant: 38.2
1987 Michael Jordan: 38.0 https://t.co/9Gyw416uuD
Kobe Bryant has achieved nearly as many championships as Michael Jordan. Bryant ended up with five, while Jordan had six. However, Bryant has the upper hand over Jordan in terms of the number of points scored. Bryant has 33,643 regular-season points, while Jordan has 32,292.
They shared a bond off the court as well and Jordan was left heartbroken after Bryant died in a helicopter crash.