Horace Grant Explains Why Kobe Bryant Was Closest Thing to Michael Jordan

One of the greatest players in NBA history, if not the greatest, was Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. He had an incredible career in the league, highlighted by six NBA titles won (6-0 NBA Finals record) and two three-peats while playing alongside fellow legends Scottie Pippen and being coached by Phil Jackson.

In 1996, a young, brash player straight out of high school, Kobe Bryant, burst onto the scene with the Los Angeles Lakers and immediately drew comparisons to Jordan, as the Philadelphia native emulated the Bulls legend on the basketball court.

Even though it took some time, Bryant became somewhat of a carbon copy of Jordan, with Horace Grant being one of only three players, along with Ron Harper and Dennis Rodman, to play with both iconic guards.

Horace Grant Compares Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

In a recent interview with Essentially Sports, Grant opened up about what it was like to play alongside both legends and the similarities between the two.

“I was very, very blessed to play with so many guys, Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers," Grant said. "What made MJ different was just the passion, tenacity, and the will that he had for his craft, the game. And in terms of making us better players, making us better teammates.

“Playing with the Lakers and playing with the late great Kobe Bryant, if I had to compare the two, if you will, the same passion, the same work ethic, the no-nonsense type of, put your hard hat on and you go out and do it and make your teammates better. And that was Kobe Bryant. So if I had to choose one, it would be Kobe Bryant, similar to MJ, but with MJ’s mindset, I don’t see no one else.”

Much like Jordan, Bryant famously went on to win five NBA titles with the Lakers and eventually pass the Bulls legend on the NBA's all-time scoring list while racking up a seemingly endless list of accolades and punching his ticket to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jordan also had a lot of respect for Bryant and his relentless drive, admitting that the Lakers superstar would've been the only player to beat him one-on-one because he stole all his moves. Bryant viewed Jordan as a mentor and a big brother, and the two remained close until his tragic death in 2020.

The six-time NBA champion spoke at Bryant's funeral and revealed just how close the two were during a tearful speech. Even Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, opened up about how much Jordan was admired and how he drove her late husband throughout his life.