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A comparison between the players is not uncommon in the league. However, there are some who embody another player like a mirror. A similar pair arises in Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The latter, to many, is the greatest player to touch the basketball. Bryant, on the other hand, grew up idolizing Jordan.

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Hence, when he took to the court, he modeled his game after Jordan. The two were dangerously the same when it came to anything related to basketball.

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Both Jordan and Bryant were cold and effective on the court. Their ability to produce under pressure is a legend. Moreover, the principles of hard work never left their soul until they decided to hang up the sneakers. That attitude elevated them to a completely new level.

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Recently, Jalen Rose made an appearance on the ‘All The Smoke’ podcast and spoke about the resemblance between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

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Kobe Bryant a mirror reflection of Michael Jordan

While Rose made an appearance, he spoke about how he called Bryant a remix of Michael Jordan. He further explained saying that while Shaquille O’Neal had the first 46 minutes, it was Bryant who took over in the last two. Bryant had his record game of 81 points against Rose, and the former league star ranks the ‘Mamba’ over LeBron James in his all-time list.

He said: “To me to watch him in 96′ when h got drafted and then wasn’t even appreciated by his own teammates. To like be in that moment where Shaq ended up being the force the first 46 minutes of the game and he ended up being the last two. And that’s why I started calling him the remix of MJ. Because to me, he looked like MJ, he sound like MJ, he move like MJ. He the next best thing man ain’t nobody top.”

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The ‘Mamba’ came into the league wanting to be the best player to play the game. He had a resolve to be the best like no other. Hence, he worked on his game every single day. So when he got the chance to go up against his idol, Michael Jordan, he decided to take on the challenge. However, from that day on they had a brother-like relationship.

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From there on, Jordan became a kind of mentor to Kobe and did everything he could for him throughout his career.

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Many legends also admit to seeing Michael Jordan in Bryant’s game. That came from Bryant wanting to be like Jordan on the floor. Both legends made winning their only goal and did a great job to get it done.

Do you think Kobe Bryant became the player he was because of Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments below.

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Anuj Talwalkar

4,514 Articles

Anuj Talwalkar is a senior NBA Newsbreak specialist at EssentiallySports, trusted for his real-time coverage and fast, accurate updates on league developments. With five NBA seasons and two Olympics coverages under his belt, Anuj stands out as the go-to reporter for the NBA Matchday Newsdesk. As part of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, he continuously refines his hard reporting with grounded storytelling shaped by fan culture and court-level insights. An economics graduate and lifelong OKC fan since the Supersonics era, Anuj combines analytical thinking and a genuine passion for basketball. He’s recognized for both his live news coverage and feature writing, with aspirations to someday interview Russell Westbrook. Anuj’s reporting is marked by its reliability, depth, and strong connection to the pulse of the NBA.

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