J-Speaks: MJ Delivers a Message to The Black Mamba

From the early stages of his career to now, Kobe Bryant has been drawing comparisons to one of the greatest NBA players to ever play on the hardwood. He is the one player that has come close to matching the greatness of said player from winning championships to his consistent high level of play on the hardwood to how he lead through his actions, words, demeanor and focus and above all else how he wanted to cut the heart out of each opponent he faced in the regular season and especially the postseason. Two weeks ago when the Lakers visited that said players team that he now owns, Bryant received an amazing video message from the former North Carolina Tar Heel in his final appearance in Charlotte.

Before the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Sports Arena in Charlotte, NC two Monday nights ago, Bryant, who was drafted with the 13^th overall pick by the original Hornets back in June of 1996 and was then traded to the Lakers for then center Vlade Divac received congratulations from the great Michael Jordan himself on an “unbelievable career” via a video message on the arena scoreboard prior to tip-off.

“I just want to congratulate you on an unbelievable career. I think when I look back and the first time we played against each other, the competitive drive that I saw within your eyes even though the knowledge wasn’t quite there yet is very invigorating,” Jordan who did not attend the game said via the video message.

“I’ve always been like a big brother and you like a little brother. We communicate all the time. I just want to say congratulations. Your next step in your next career is going to be something that I’m pretty sure you’re going to have to figure out. From the competitive standpoint, I’m pretty sure you’re just like me. You’re gonna have to find other ways to utilize that competitive drive.”

In his last appearance in Charlotte, Bryant, who will retire at the end of this season, his 20^th season in the NBA all with the Lakers scored 20 points, but shot just 5 for 20 from the field, including 3 for 12 from three-point range, 7 for 8 from the charity stripe with four rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes as the Hornets (17-16) defeated the Lakers (8-27) 108-98.

Jordan also said in his video message that he hoped that Bryant had a great game, but not too good of a game.

That played to form as Bryant did score as mentioned 20, but shot poorly and the Hornets played well enough to win the game led by guard Kemba Walker who scored 38 points going 14 for 25 from the field, hitting 3 for 6 from distance with six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and three steals.

From the time the first played each other in 1996 when the Bulls were on top of the NBA mountain as they began their second three-peat title run, there has been a debate on whether Bryant would ever live up to the greatness of Jordan.

In many cases, he has and then some. Bryant has won five titles, one short of Jordan. In terms of All-Star appearances, it is close with Bryant having made the NBA mid-season classic 17 times and likely his 18^th one this February, while Jordan has played in 14. Bryant has been selected to the All-NBA First Team 11 times and Jordan 10 times.


In terms of career numbers they are close too with Jordan averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists in his career, while Bryant has averaged 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his career.

In terms of difference between the two, there is plenty. Bryant, who could have been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) a few more times in his career garnered than the one he garnered back in 2008. Jordan won the award six times.

In terms of the best individual game each player had in their career, Jordan’s career-high game was 69 points at the Cleveland Cavaliers back on Mar. 28, 1990 and the Bulls won 117-113 in overtime. Jordan in that game went 23 for 37 from the field, including 2 for 6 from three-point range, 21 for 23 from the free throw line with a career-high 18 boards, six assists and four steals.

Bryant career-high point performance the second highest scoring game in NBA history back on Jan. 22, 2006 when he scored 81 points in leading the Lakers to a 122-104 win versus the Toronto Raptors. Bryant went 28 for 46 from the field, including 7 for 13 from three-point range, 18 for 20 from the free throw line with six rebounds, two assists and three steals in 41 minutes and 56 seconds of playing time. After scoring 14 and 12 points in the first and second quarters respectably, Bryant saved his best for the second half scoring 27 points in the third and 28 in the fourth for a 55 point second half.

The one thing in common with both performances is the fact that on this night both stars had to shine because the opposition was at the top of their offensive game on that night and defensively Jordan and Bryant’s teammates barely contributed in the scoring column.

On Jordan’s career-night, forward Horace Grant was the only other Bull in double-figures with 16 points.

On Bryant’s unforgettable evening, starting lead guard William “Smush” Parker and starting center Chris Mihm were the only other players in double-figures with 13 and 12 points respectably. Former Laker forward Lamar Odom on that particular evening did have 10 rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes and 53 seconds of playing time, but had just 8 points on 1 for 7 shooting.

There is one very important area that they both are similar to, that they had Phil Jackson as their coach and each player won titles with him on the bench.

Before Jackson, Bryant and Jordan in their careers were great players who can score and entertain with the best of them, but they would always come up short in the postseason.

When Jackson enter their careers, they not only won multiple titles, they were able to play the game at a more even scale where they found a way to still score, but make their teammates better from how they performed in practice to the game.  

One other similarity between these two is that they were able to reach fans on a global level.

Wherever you go across the globe you can talk to an Asian, African or any other race or people and you ask them about basketball, I am sure the names of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant come to mind in terms of some of the best to ever play on the hardwood.

With that being said Jordan and what the 1992 Dream Team did in the Olympics in Barcelona back then helped the NBA reach the masses it has and Bryant has taken that to another level.

“You’ve been a big help to the game of basketball. You’ve helped the NBA. You’ve helped promote it. I’m pretty sure you’ve got fans all over the world,” Jordan, who also won a Gold Medal as part of the 1984 USA Basketball team as a collegiate said on Monday night.

One other huge difference between Jordan and Bryant is how they were able to reach the point of winning titles.

Jordan for three straight seasons had his title dreams denied by the Detroit Pistons from 1988-90 in the playoffs, twice in the Eastern Conference Finals before they broke through in 1991 sweeping the back-to-back champion Pistons in four games and beating the Lakers of Earvin “Magic” Johnson in five games.

While the Utah Jazz led by Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone had defeated the Lakers in the 1997 West Semis and the 1998 Western Conference Finals, the Lakers did have that long of a road to get to the top which they did in 2000 in beating the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals 4-2 and was the launching point of a three-peat.

The biggest edge that Jordan has over Bryant when it is all said and done is the fact that without MJ, we do not have the greatness of “The Black Mamba.”

Jordan’s career gave Bryant the blueprint of what it took to be great as well as the greatness of other players in that era like Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Johnson and as we can see Bryant was a great student and it has all paid off and he gained a fan in Jordan.

“I’m a big fan. I still love watching you play. I’m very very happy for you and what you’ve accomplished within the game,” Jordan said in the video tribute.

As this farewell tour continues for Kobe Bryant, he will receive accolades galore, handshakes photos, letters and everything in between from fans, coaches, former and current players. He will be praised and loved, for which he has earned. None of that will top though than what Michael Jordan, the player Bryant was most compared to and the one player who came very close to living up to that comparison did back two weeks ago today with his video message tribute.

Information, statistics and quotations are courtesy of www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200601220LAL.html; www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199003280CLE.html; 12/30/15 6 a.m. CNN Headline News’ “Morning Express” with Robin Meade, hosted on said date by Christie Paul, report from Andy Scholes; http://www.nba.com/games/20151228/LALCHA/gameinfo.html.