Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the biggest names to be associated with the NBA. The skills and prowess they displayed in order to dominate the basketball court made them a fan favorite and resulted in them being placed on a high pedestal. While it may have been brief, the duo did have opportunities to compete against each other as rivals.

The Black Mamba’s name came up in a recently surfaced clip, in which the Chicago Bulls legend lists down the players on his ‘elite list’. Notably, he gave a head nod to Kobe but with a simultaneous jab.

Michael Jordan accused Kobe Bryant of “stealing” his moves

A Twitter user recently uploaded a decade old clip on his handle. It featured a then 50 year old Michael Jordan sitting down for an interview with ‘First Take’. The interviewer asked His Airness about the player who he would have liked to go 1v1 against during his prime. Jordan instantly replied, “That list is very long.” He first gave a shout out to LA Lakers stars Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Jordan then named the two biggest names in Miami Heat history: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

MJ also stated that he wouldn’t mind going up against “Kobe Bryant in his prime”. Interestingly, MJ was confident that he could beat each and every one of the people listed above, expect for the late Los Angeles Lakers legend.

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“I don’t think I’ll lose, other than Kobe Bryant because he steals all my moves,” said Michael Jordan during the interview.

Uploading the clip for his followers, Brandon stated his opinion in the caption. “MJ also my goat, but he not winning 1v1.”

The bond between His Airness and The Black Mamba

In 1992, the Chicago Bulls were playing off against the Philadelphia 76ers in a much anticipated match. During the match, Jordan threw a wristband at a young aspiring player. His name was Kobe Bean Bryant.

Ever since he became a Lakers player, Kobe formed a strong bond with Mike. Sharing pleasantries in the form of “little brother” and “big brother”, the two shared a friendship on and off court that was hard to come by between members of different teams.

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Michael Jordan was present at Kobe Bryant’s memorial ceremony, after the latter tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash three years ago. His words about The Black Mamba that day became the embodiment of a good friendship.

“Maybe it surprised people that Kobe and I were very close friends, but we were very close friends,” said Jordan during his speech at the memorial. “Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between he and I. I just wanted to talk about Kobe.”

Kobe’s induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame was a bittersweet affair, since the player was being honored posthumously. Michael Jordan accompanied Vanessa Bryant up on the stage. He stood by her side as she gave a heartfelt speech about the five time NBA champion’s legacy.

What are your thoughts on Michael and Kobe’s relationship? Let us know in the comments down below.

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