Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are widely recognized as the two greatest players to ever play the shooting guard position. While they’re both also debated on as the overall GOAT of basketball, there are a lot of arguments there for a number of players. However, there is no argument when you say Jordan is the greatest shooting guard of all time, and that Bryant is close-behind at No. 2 before anyone else enters the conversation.
Bryant’s desire to emulate and surpass what Jordan achieved is well-known, with the two generation-defining shooting guards even having a strong personal relationship. Bryant’s desire to emulate Jordan was in the pursuit of greatness, and there are multiple traits that tie greats together. That’s what former NBA Champion with Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and Kobe’s LA Lakers, Horace Grant, observed in his time with both players.
Grant appeared on the ‘All the Smoke’ podcast and shared what he saw as similarities between Jordan and Bryant in his time as teammates with them.
“I was so fortunate and blessed to play with MJ and the late great Kobe Bryant., The similarities it’s like being a twin, it’s just there. To be on the court or the sidelines with both those guys are just heaven-sent. The similarities, the work ethic, not just on the court but off the court.”
“For example, MJ knew he had to get stronger because the Pistons were busting our ass back in the day. That dude was just in the weight room, building his physique up. If Kobe went 5/20, that dude is in the damn gym at 4:30 working on his shot. It pays off.”
“The work ethic, the passion, the love of the game, and them making their teammates better.”
Jordan and Bryant will forever be linked because of the accomplishments and style of play they were known for. We haven’t really seen an NBA player who has replicated what Jordan achieved as closely as Bryant, which also shows how challenging reaching a level like that can be.
Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals over his career, while Bryant averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Their similarities have been discussed before by multiple people, including a man who led them both to championships, Phil Jackson. However, Jackson also laid out what made the two different, since the similarities were always so apparent.
“Michael was more charismatic and gregarious than Kobe. He loved hanging out with his teammates and security guards, playing cards, smoking cigars, and joking around.”
This take also explains why former Bryant teammates like Smush Parker wouldn’t agree with Grant’s assessment that one of the key similarities between Jordan and Bryant is that they make their teammates better. While Bryant definitely improved on that end as his career progressed, it’s well-known that Bryant didn’t assimilate into locker rooms as easily as Jordan did.
Jackson also maintains that Jordan was the better defender of the two, so it seems the similarity to Jordan could get Bryant only so far. He’s still one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. The fact that former teammates who shared a locker room with both players can only compare Bryant’s personality to Jordan’s is a huge compliment to the personality and player Kobe was.
