“Only Kobe Bryant can beat me, just because he steals all my moves!”: When Michael Jordan listed players he’d like to play against in his prime, names LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Jerry West

Raahib Singh | 06/04/2022
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When NBA legend Michael Jordan started listing players he’d like to face in his prime, says only Kobe Bryant could beat him

When one thinks about all-time greats in the NBA, it doesn’t matter what era you’re from, Michael Jordan’s name is always there. Michael Jordan is one of the athletes that popularized the NBA and made it a global sporting league.

Whenever one thinks about MJ, there are many things that come to mind. He was a 6x NBA Champion, a 6x Finals MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 14x NBA All-Star and so much more. His achievements alone paint a picture of his greatness, however, that doesn’t do him justice.

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Michael Jordan was one of the most feared athletes of his time and for the right reasons. His Airness had an aura around him that other players of his time were terrified of. MJ could change the outcome of a game by what felt like flipping a switch. Once, he was asked who would he like to face 1-on-1, both players in their primes.

Michael Jordan believes only a prime Kobe Bryant can beat him one-on-one

Michael Jordan is one of the biggest competitors to ever play the game of basketball. Jordan would never, as long as he could help it, end up on the losing side of a game. His drive to win and be better than everyone else is what made him such a great player.

Once, Jordan was asked, if he was in his prime, who would he like to face one-on-one. MJ named several greats like Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant in his prime, and LeBron James in his prime. He also added Dwyane Wade in his prime, Melo(Carmelo Anthony). His Airness also said, “I don’t think I’d lose, other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves.”

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That isn’t the only time MJ has talked about Kobe beating him 1-on-1. Once, Phil Jackson narrated how MJ admitted Kobe might take him one-on-one and win.

Considering how close the two stars were, it is quite possible they had their own one-on-one games that we never heard about. However, in the league, the two faced each other 8 times, with Kobe emerging with a 5-3 winning record

Post Edited By: Raahib Singh
Dwyane Wade Elgin Baylor Jerry West Kobe Bryant LeBron James Michael Jordan NBA

About the author

Raahib Singh

Raahib Singh

Raahib Singh is an NBA Journalist and Content Strategist at The SportsRush. A Computer Science Engineer by qualification, Raahib's passion for sports drew him towards TSR. He started playing basketball at 14 and has been following the NBA since 2013. His entry into the basketball world perfectly coincided with Stephen Curry putting the league on notice. Having followed the league for a long time, he decided to use his knowledge to become a sportswriter with The SportsRush in 2020. Raahib loves to put up some shots in his spare time, watch Cricket, Formula 1, and/or read a nice thriller.

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