Kobe Bryant’s decision to skip college and play in the NBA directly was a fantastic decision in retrospect.
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Wearing the number 33 for the Lower Merrion High School, Kobe Bean Bryant had all eyes on him come his senior year. While most of the NBA scouts knew Kobe would skip college to enter the league, their college counterparts would not give up that easy. For no one excited them in the same way that Kobe did since Michael Jordan.
Unsurprisingly, MJ’s alma mater North Carolina came calling in the form of coach Dean Smith. The man who brought forth to the world the talents of James Worthy, Sam Perkin, and the 6-time champion was at the end of Bryant’s phone, trying to recruit him. Even his best friends Jerry Stackhouse and Vernon Maxwell, his pick-up game buddies did not know which way he would swing.
For someone who wanted to be Jordan with all his heart, Kobe also knew following his footsteps means losing his identity. Everything he would do from then on would draw comparisons to the 1982 NCAA champion, and it would never go away for the rest of his career. Kobe wanted to be better than Jordan, someone he knew was idolized by everyone.
The decision the play collegiate basketball or list for the NBA draft hinged on one meeting – a chance encounter that was set up by the 76ers
Kobe Bryant also got to meet MJ for a second time, a few years after his first meeting with him back in Philly. In March 1996, a few months before Kobe enlisted, he was invited by the Sixers coach John Lucas to recruit him to the team. Philly was playing the Bulls this time too, and Kobe was ready to meet MJ for the second time.
It looked like Jordan was too, because this time the Black Cat went out of his way to speak to the young fella, trying to push him to play under Smith.
This is how the conversation went, from Mike Sielski’s recollection in the book “The Rise”.
“Kobe,” Jordan said, “what’s up?”
Kobe looked around. Is there another Kobe here? I know he’s not talking to me.
Jordan extended his hand. “Hey,” he said, “nice meeting you, young man.”
Jordan also added “Man, if it was up to me, you’d go to North Carolina. Go to Carolina.” Kobe knew Michael only had his best interests at heart because playing under coach Dean Smith was the dream of every up-and-coming ballplayer in high school.
While it played on Kobe’s mind to join a college, the age gap between him and Jordan meant that any time spent in college would mean lesser time against the greatest Chicago Bull. After weighing in on his options, the decision was finally made to skip college entirely and to go toe to toe against the stalwart.
Kobe Bryant was an animal when it came to facing Michael Jordan – He refused to go gaga over him
Kobe Bryant was such an influence over the city of Los Angeles the minute he entered the league. He may not have started in the best possible manner, but his effort showed. People grew to adore their own Michael Jordan, and two years after Jordan won his last championship, Kobe was winning his first of five.
The youngest ever All-Star was by no means fazed by playing against Jordan. When he came up short once against his Airness, MJ told him something that stuck with him for the rest of the time. “You can wear my shoes, but you’ll never fill them,” he said. Kobe took this one line so seriously, that on the return performance, he dropped 55 on MJ’s head. He was pictured not happy because that still did not give him satisfaction.
To think that an all-time great like Kobe Bryant got to the level he was because he was obsessed with one man is astounding. The amount of dedication a man has to preserve for 20 years to emulate the legacy of the best player to ever shoot a basketball is otherworldly. Only Kobe Bryant could do such a thing because that is the mentality of the Mamba.
