Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Mike Dunleavy Sr., talked about his experiences playing against Michael Jordan during an appearance on the Run It Back show. The 70-year-old brought up Michael Jordan’s work ethic and mindset that fueled his greatness.
Advertisement
Dunleavy Sr. declared that nobody, in his mind, comes close to matching His Airness’ competitive spirit, except for the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Kobe’s love for MJ is well known and the Black Mamba has been infamous for imitating his idol in more ways than one. In the process, Kobe took more from him than just lessons on how to play basketball.
Dunleavy Sr. said that in his opinion, Jordan is the greatest player ever, “Michael is Michael. I mean, obviously in my mind, the best player to ever play.” After some thought, the NBA legend felt confident enough to bring Kobe into the mix.
“Other than Michael, and then maybe Kobe…as far as competitors, workers…I mean, both those guys, I don’t know how they did it,” he added.
Dunleavy Sr. outlined their workout sessions and highlighted how dedicated both MJ and Kobe were to their craft. He said, “5 AM in the morning, they’re up. I mean, they were, from a work ethic standpoint, they were the top of the list.”
Michael Jordan is definitely @MikeDunleavySr’s GOAT 🐐
But if anyone ever came close to matching MJ’s competitiveness and work ethic, it was Kobe Bryant 💯 pic.twitter.com/zQ9ptjvuBH
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 31, 2024
Everyone who witnessed the prime of MJ and Kobe believes that they were nearly identical. Both players prioritized their work over everything else and when it was time to show up for their teams, they did it like no other. There are several other similarities between them that make Kobe the only player comparable to the six-time NBA Champion.
Similarities between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
Years after his retirement, MJ was asked in an interview who he’d like to play one-on-one in his prime. The Bulls legend named several players including Jerry West, Kobe, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony. Jordan confidently declared that he wouldn’t lose to any of the legends except one.
He said, “I don’t think I’d lose, other than Kobe Bryant because he steals all my moves.” In the truest sense, Kobe was the heir to MJ’s NBA legacy.
The fadeaway jumper that used to be MJ’s signature move, Kobe learned it, perfected it, and ended up popularizing it further. His movement on and off the ball was also similar to that of Jordan.
Kobe also closely imitated MJ’s success on the hardwood, winning five Championships for the team that drafted him.
