Years Before Forging a Friendship With His Idol, Kobe Bryant’s First Encounter With Michael Jordan Left Him in Hopes for a Better Future

The only person who can be compared to Michael Jordan and his playing style is Kobe Bryant. They both have the same competitive mindset and have also won countless championships during their time in the league. Kobe always considered Jordan his ultimate goal as a player, and he kept chasing that legacy throughout his career.

A recently resurfaced video shows an iconic moment in NBA history. It is the late Kobe Bryant meeting Michael Jordan right before he got drafted in 1996.

Kobe Bryant’s experience of meeting Michael Jordan for the first time

The video was captioned, “One legend meets a future legend. 17-year-old Kobe Bryant talks about meeting his idol Michael Jordan before the NBA Draft“. When they met the guards shook hands and following that, Jordan quietly went his own way. In the arena later, Kobe Bean Bryant was being interviewed.

The interviewer said that Kobe’s father would definitely be proud of how Kobe greeted Jordan. Kobe said ‘Mr. Jordan’ when he met him.

Then he asked Kobe what it was like to meet the Chicago Bulls legend. The teenaged Bryant expressed how grateful he was to get that opportunity.

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The Black Mamba said it was a great feeling. This feeling is heavily amplified when he mentions the fact that Jordan is his idol and the person that he looks up to the most. Kobe then said, “Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to talk to him some more.“

Kobe’s words came true, as he went up against Jordan a lot of times during his time in the league. They both eventually got along well. Jordan shared his wisdom and experience with Kobe. He fully embodied it and became a champion in the league himself a few years later.

Relationship between MJ and Kobe

People used to think that Jordan, being the competitor he is, might not share his routine with others. But Kobe said in an interview how Jordan was to him.

MJ had a lot of impact on Kobe Bryant. He gave him workout routines and strategies and was always open to the idea of mentorship. The relationship between the two grew stronger over the years. It was most apparent and on display when Jordan broke down crying at Kobe’s memorial service.

The two were similar. In their personalities, their bodies, and their skills. They had a strong bond, and Jordan actually considered himself to be a big brother to Kobe Bryant. What do you think of the relationship between these two NBA legends? Let us know in the comments!

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