© Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Phil Jackson, Magic Johnson talk about Kobe Bryant's relationship with Michael Jordan
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The similarities between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant seemed endless. Both basketball legends had similar playing styles and mindsets, and they both wanted to win at all costs, on and off the court.
MJ and Kobe were good friends and Bryant’s unexpected death in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26, 2020 deeply impacted Jordan. The tragedy made him reveal the true meaning of their relationship.
MJ loved Kobe – he was like a little brother to him. At one point Jordan said that when Bryant died a piece of him died.
Time built a true brotherhood between the master and the apprentice, and Jordan acknowledged Bryant’s talent.
Former Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson saw Jordan in attendance for a game when he coached the Lakers and asked him to meet in the Chairman’s room after it and talk to Bryant. However, when Jordan came after the game, Bryant immediately just said one thing, “I could kick your a** 1-on-1.”
To Jackson’s surprise, Jordan said, “I’ve been out of the game a couple of years, you just might.”
How MJ helped Kobe
Lakers legend Magic Johnson explained what MJ meant to Kobe and vice versa.
“You could see the beginning of this special relationship that was going to take place and start forming then,” Johnson said. “Kobe respected guys but it was different [with Jordan]. He idolized Michael in a way that was different from anybody else. It was like, ‘Man, I’m trying to be like you but I also want to show you what I got in this All-Star game too.’ I loved the fact that I was there and I could witness it just like Larry [Bird] and I witnessed during the [1992] Olympics, how we were passing the torch to Michael. Some things you never forget and that was a moment I’ll never forget — the torch being passed.”
Kobe credited MJ with helping him win five NBA Championships.
“It was a rough couple of years for me, coming to the league, ’cause at the time the league was much older. It’s not as young as it is today. So nobody was really thinking much of me. I was a kid that... shot a bunch of air-balls, you know what I mean?And at that point, Michael provided a lot of guidance for me. I had a question about shooting his turnaround shot, so I asked him about it. And he gave me a great, detailed answer but on top of that, he said, 'If you ever need anything, give me a call,'” Kobe said.
Their relationship goes beyond the comparisons between the two. Fans might prioritize one over the other, but according to the Lakers' legend himself, there wouldn't be Kobe Bryant without Michael Jordan.
"He’s like my big brother. I truly hate having discussions about who would win one-on-one, and fans saying, 'Kobe you’d beat Michaell one-on-one.' And I feel like, 'Yo! What you get from me is from him.' I don’t get five championships here without him, ’cause he guided me so much and he gave me so much great advice,” Bryant explained.
