Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant shared a special bond off the court. The two had a relationship that a younger and older sibling would have. But when it came to competing against one another on the hardwood floor, MJ and Kobe left no stone unturned. This competitiveness applied to the All-Star games as well. Especially the 2003 All-Star game when Jordan gave Bryant a rude awakening of sorts.
Advertisement
During the 2003 All-Star game, Bryant and MJ could be heard cribbing over a foul call. Jordan stated right out that it was a foul. This led to Bryant’s playful reply,
“Oh, I know you ain’t talking, I KNOW you ain’t talking.”
That response instantly brought out MJ’s competitive side as he hit Kobe back with,
“Hey, you only got 3 now. I got 6. I would get that foul. You only got 3 now.”
Jordan immediately brought in the number of rings argument which shut down Bryant right away as he laughed it off on the floor.
As the video went on, the two Hall of Famers could be seen talking about a certain play that Jordan pulled off on Bryant. Kobe mentioned that he knew where MJ would go and he had to be quicker than him.
The Chicago Bulls legend was quick to question a young Bryant and his basketball IQ. Jordan asked if Kobe knew where he was going, then how did he fall for the pump fake and leave his footing?
Bryant tried to point out that after MJ stopped his dribble with the pump fake, he had nowhere else to go as he was trapped. That is when the six-time NBA champion said, “In the game, I’d go for you. I’d go for these ribs right here,” as he went on to pinpoint it on Bryant’s core.
After trapping MJ on a possession, a young Bryant might have felt as if the student may have finally become the master. However, the master clearly had a few more tricks under his sleeve to get the upper hand. Jordan revealed that he would’ve leaned into Bryant’s body, especially his core to draw and foul and possibly go for an and-one play.
Given how much of his knowledge MJ had imparted to Kobe over the years, he even amusingly stated that Bryant stole all his moves once. But instead, Jordan was more than happy to share his trade secrets with someone who had such an intense passion for the game.
Michael Jordan’s evolving relationship with Kobe Bryant
Within a few years of arriving in the league, Kobe Bryant developed a strong relationship with Michael Jordan. What started as a mentor-mentee bond quickly translated into brotherly love over the years. Even despite the two competing against one another on the court.
Bryant would call MJ at odd hours with certain doubts and blockades in his game. And Jordan never backed away from helping Kobe elevate his game to the next level. Jordan even introduced Bryant to his longtime trainer, Tim Grover.
Working out with Grover turned out to be a huge blessing for the Los Angeles Lakers legend as his expertise had an instant impact on Bryant’s performance on the court.
But MJ’s love for Bryant wasn’t limited to basketball. The two talked about business, family, and numerous other things that did not pertain to basketball. This was something MJ mentioned while referring to Bryant as his ‘little brother’ in his speech at Staples Center after his tragic death.
Another thing that Jordan said about Kobe was, “I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person – a better basketball player.” So, no matter the comparisons fans and analysts would have between the two guards, MJ would always have love for Kobe.
