“Kobe Bryant wanted to steal the show from Michael Jordan”: Vince Carter talks about how the Lakers legend wouldn’t let the ‘GOAT’ win his last ever All-Star Game

Kobe Bryant made two free throws in Michael Jordan’s last All-Star Game that erased Jordan’s near game winning shot at the end of OT. 

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are perhaps the most similar when it comes to their clutch-time shot making ability and their fierce competitiveness. The two matched up against one another only a handful of times, with their 1998 All-Star game being the most memorable as Jordan go to the East’s locker room and the praise the budding Lakers star. 

As time went on, it was very obvious that a metaphorical torch was passed down from Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant as the former was getting further into the twilight of his career. The two played an extremely similar brand of basketball and as mentioned earlier, shared the same killer mentality.

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So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Kobe wouldn’t let his ‘big brother’ have all the spotlight in his final All-Star Game as all he wants to do is win the game. 

Vince Carter tells a story about Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant from 2003. 

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game saw Michael Jordan receive the 3rd most votes behind Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady. Similar to how the Lakers legend was voted into the 2016 ASG, Jordan wasn’t exactly playing like an All-Star. However, the ASG would be incomplete without him. 

Vince Carter says that he told Jordan that he was going to start the game and after a lot of pushback, agreed and started. Carter would then go on to talk about how Kobe Bryant ruined Jordan’s final All-Star Game. 

The game went into overtime in 2003 and with 3 seconds remaining in OT, Michael Jordan gave fans exactly what they wanted. A potential game-winner. He shot a baseline fadeaway and brought the East up two. 

With one second remaining, Kobe Bryant attempted a 3 and was fouled, earning him three shots from the charity stripe. He would 2-3 from here, leading the game into a double OT, which the West would win due to heroics from Kevin Garnett.

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Safe to say that Kobe had no regard for sentiments as all he wanted to do was beat the other team, despite fans clamoring for the game to be stopped after Jordan’s potential game-winner.