“Closest Dude to Michael Jordan”: When Kobe Bryant Earned Big Praise From Magic Johnson

Kobe Bryant made it no secret that he modeled his playstyle around his idol Michael Jordan and even tried to copy his mannerisms down to a T. The late, great Lakers icon did a splendid job in not only emulating the Bulls icon’s idiosyncrasies but also achieving success and instilling fear in his opponents like the six-time NBA champion did. At least that’s what Magic Johnson believes.

In August, the Lakers icon was among the select attendees at the inauguration of Bryant’s second statue that stands outside the Crypto.com Arena. During an appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show, he was asked how he felt during the event. He responded,

“It [the inauguration] was bittersweet. You know, Vanessa, his wife, did an amazing job with her speech, and also helped, I think she designed it too, his statue. We all miss him, and him not being there. But, what a legacy he left. He was such an amazing young man, and the things that he did for women’s sports, and the ‘girl dad’ and championships that he won… he meant so much to this city.”

Johnson gave props to Vannessa Bryant and the Buss family and claimed that the new statue was the best he had ever seen. He then spoke about Bryant’s five championships with the Lakers. The Hall of Famer claimed his performances during those title wins and the notoriety he gained from it were reminiscent of Jordan. He said,

“That Laker mystique. Winning those five championships, and the way he did it was special. Probably the closest dude to Michael Jordan, right? Because Michael is the greatest that’s ever played. But Kobe, in terms of how he was able to… his mannerisms like Michael, the way he approached the game like Michael.”

Many wished to be just like Jordan. However, as Johnson suggested, Bryant came the closest to it. His trophy haul, points tally, and impact on the sport are all comparable to the player he wished to emulate.