Kobe Bryant’s NBA career influenced an entire generation of youth around the world, but primarily in California. The legendary Lakers guard’s relentless work ethic resonated with many, who sprouted successful careers even outside of sports. One of the many who publicly credit Bryant for inspiring them is actor Michael B. Jordan. The Hollywood star had the opportunity to experience a full-circle moment when he played the part of a young Kobe.
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Jordan made a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2020, where he discussed his relationship with the five-time champion. Initially, the conversation was about Bryant’s involvement in the screenings for Jordan’s 2019 film “Just Mercy.” However, he revealed their connection spans a few years, highlighting his involvement alongside Kobe in an advertisement for Apple. He said,
“I did an Apple commercial with him a few years back, where I played a young Kobe. That was pretty cool and interesting. He’s the GOAT. He’s one of the greatest of all time, so to be able to kind of talk to him and spit basketball, that was pretty cool.”
The commercial Jordan is referring to is an Apple TV ad that aired in 2016. This came on the heels of Kobe’s final NBA season and featured Jordan playing the role of Bryant back in high school. He donned a Lower Merion High School uniform. The two bantered back-and-forth about Jordan’s role in a fictional film on Kobe’s life.
.@kobebryant and @michaelb4jordan use Apple TV in this tale of two Kobes.https://t.co/SnaqtqAMY5https://t.co/rRI28yTt8f
— App Store (@AppStore) April 10, 2016
Since that moment, Jordan began to take even more inspiration from Bryant. Ahead of his role in “Creed,” Kobe, along with his daughter Gianna, sparked a great source of inspiration for the actor.
Kobe and Gianna’s inspiration for Jordan
In “Creed III,” Jordan’s character, Adonis Creed, is the father of a little girl. To fully prepare for the role of a father in the film, he analyzed one person for inspiration: Kobe Bryant.
Jordan recalled witnessing Bryant being the epitome of a girl-dad at a screening for “Just Mercy,” which he attended with his daughter Gianna. Jordan also observed his costar Jamie Foxx having an in-depth conversation with his daughter about basketball at the event as well. Both interactions were engaging and became the muse for Jordan’s performance in “Creed III” four years later. Jordan said,
“Jamie Foxx has a strong relationship with his daughter, who was into basketball, she was playing basketball. And Kobe’s sitting there talking about Gianna and basketball and the Mamba Academy and everything. I just remember stepping out of myself for a second, and I’m looking at these guys that I have real admiration for and hearing them talk about their daughters. I was like, ‘Man, I’m pulling from all of this right now for the movie.'”
Jordan did an exceptional job carrying over the legacy of Bryant in the film. He is just one of the many examples of how Kobe’s legacy will live on forever through different people.
