Sports constantly fuel comparisons across eras, teams, playing styles, and individual talent, and the NBA thrives on these debates. Since the league’s inception, players have often been compared, even across generations. Among the most prominent of these comparisons is the one between Michael Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant.
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Stephen Jackson is one of the rare few who had the opportunity to play against both His Airness and the Black Mamba. On the recent episode of Byron Scott’s Fast Break, he dropped a bombshell on this topic.
He was asked about the difference between guarding Jordan and Kobe, and he said he was in awe while defending the Chicago Bulls legend. Surprisingly, though, he admitted that he never truly admired Jordan.
“The difference was, I was in awe when I was guarding Mike. I’ve been knowing Kobe my whole life, but I didn’t admire Jordan, I admired Kobe,” Jackson said. Given the thin line between being in awe of someone and admiring them, Jackson went on to explain the root of that distinction.
“Because he was the same age as me and the dedication that he put in as a teenager, I didn’t think it was real,” he added. “He was just so different. We all at the McDonald’s [All-American] game all there for the same reasons.”
The former NBA veteran confessed that admiration came naturally when it came to Bryant. Jackson grew up idolizing him, watching his rise from high school to the pros. He noted that Kobe’s work ethic and single-minded determination to separate himself from the pack stood out from an early age. “We [go] to McDonald’s after practice. [Kobe said:] “I see y’all, I’m not eating that [redacted]!”
“Everybody eats McDonald’s in high school! Everybody still eats it to this day. I don’t, but everybody eats McDonald’s in high school. The Big Mac and two fries, strawberry shake, and apple pie. Everybody had that. Not Kobe! Not Kobe “Bean” Bryant,” Jackson revealed.
While his peers indulged, Bryant stuck to a strict diet, showing discipline well beyond his years. He also kept a personal “kill list”, something others, like Stack, never bothered with. “He had a kill list at 13 of Tim Thomas, all the top people in our class that he wanted to kill. I wasn’t thinking like that at 13, 14, 15 years old.”
Jackson contrasted Jordan’s innate greatness with Kobe’s relentless, uphill climb. He acknowledged Jordan’s elite talent but found Kobe’s aspiration more relatable — a teenager who worked like his career depended on it. “Jordan is the top, but this is the closest thing to Mike that I’ve seen. I’ve seen this guy set out to be great and actually do it. When we all was the same age and a lot of us didn’t get to that point, we all thought we can go to the NBA and do this. He actually did it so. I was in awe of Jordan, but I admired Kobe.”
He also emphasized the bond he shared with Bryant, calling Kobe “like a brother.” Watching him evolve over two decades earned Jackson’s deepest respect. He spoke of witnessing Kobe’s transformation, from high school phenom to NBA assassin to team leader, and expressed deep admiration for that journey.
Jordan’s greatness brought six championships. But Kobe, especially in his younger years, reminded his peers that greatness wasn’t a moment, it was a lifelong commitment. And it was one he upheld with unwavering dedication.
