Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant never lacked supreme confidence during his NBA career, and stories about that very topic are still shared to this day.
Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is seen by many as the greatest player in the history of the sport, yet Bryant allegedly claimed “all the time” that he was the superior player of the two.
The first episode of Kobe: The Making of a Legend airs tomorrow on CNN (@CNNOriginals) at 6 pm PST – Here's a clip with Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) and Tracy McGrady (@Tmac_213): pic.twitter.com/p4MBX1XYOo
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) January 24, 2025
“All the time, I mean, I used to hear, ‘I’m better than Michael Jordan.’ He used to say that faithfully,” fellow NBA icon Tracy McGrady shared. “‘I’m better than Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan ain’t got nothing on me.’ And I was like, ‘This dude is insane.'”
Interestingly, when Bryant was interviewed for “The Last Dance” documentary series, he sang a slightly different tune. He said he hated “having discussions about who would win one-on-one” and argued that he wouldn’t have won five titles during his career if it weren’t for the advice he received from the Bulls icon.
Jordan and Bryant seemingly developed a strong bond. After Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash in the year 2020, Jordan spoke at his public memorial and touchingly said that “when Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died.”
Bryant deserves credit in the sense that he carved out an NBA resume that is comparable in many ways to Jordan’s. First off, Bryant finished his career with only one ring less than Jordan’s six.
In addition, the late Bryant earned more All-Star and All-NBA appearances, though it’s worth noting that Jordan’s pro career lasted 15 seasons while Bryant’s lasted 20.
Jordan did have Bryant beat in some other categories (like MVP awards and scoring titles), but both of them did enough during their careers to never be forgotten.
Unfortunately, fans never quite got to witness Jordan in his prime face off against Bryant at his apex. By the time Bryant staked his claim as a legitimate superstar, Jordan’s stint in Chicago had come to an end. He did later spend time playing for the Washington Wizards but wasn’t the same player he had been earlier in his career.
McGrady’s comments support the idea that in order to be an all-time great player in the NBA or any sport, confidence can go a long way. Every NBA player is skilled, but not all of them have Bryant’s confidence.
