Kobe Bryant almost left the Los Angeles Lakers on two occasions. The first one was in 2004 during the peak of the Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant feud. The team’s heartbreaking defeat in the 2004 NBA Finals was a clear indication that the duo’s powers had withered.
The Black Mamba, a free agent that summer, was looking for a fresh start elsewhere.
The second time was in 2007. Bryant was going on a scoring tear every night just to help the Lakers squeeze out victories. It was putting a major strain on his body. And in his view, the Lakers didn’t seem to care since they weren’t making any important moves to beef up the roster.
Pressures
On both occasions, Bryant considered going to the Chicago Bulls. He even went as far as looking for potential houses to live in and schools to enroll his kids in. He knew that the Bulls weren’t just any organization.
Michael Jordan made the organization legendary. Given how Kobe has been compared to MJ all his career, donning the Bulls jersey brought added pressure. However, Bryant dismissed such expectations.
Rather, it was more of performing up to par and giving it everything he could, much like how Jordan did during his stint in Chicago.
“Seriously, I don’t think people understand the impact he had on me as a player and as a leader,” Bryant said in 2019, via the Chicago Tribune. “So if I was fortunate enough to come here, if that trade had happened, it’s not a pressure situation to live up to what he’s done. It’s more like, ‘OK, I’m carrying on this man’s legacy. Can I do it justice? Can I represent Chicago the way it should be represented in his honor?'”
Kobe’s plans to go to Chicago never came to fruition. On both occasions, he chose to stay with the Lakers and play it out. Fortunately, the front office made some great moves, such as Pau Gasol’s and Ron Artest’s acquisitions, to propel the roster. It all turned out well for Kobe as he won his fourth and fifth NBA Championships a few years after his drama with the team.
Big brother
Though fans and the media like to pit MJ and Kobe against each other, the Mamba always respected his idol. Kobe acknowledged that he patterned his game after Jordan. Not just that, the two developed a big brother-little brother relationship over the years.
The two basketball titans talked about the triangle at dinner and had random conversations at 3 a.m. about basketball. Whenever Bryant asked a question, Jordan generously answered. And for all that, the Mamba had nothing but gratitude for MJ.
“I will never say I’m better than Michael because in all honesty, he’s taught me so many things by observation and also through conversation. I would never say that just because I learned so much from him. It’s just, it’s a non-conversation for me,” Bryant said.
Are the comparisons futile? Maybe. Bryant imitated Jordan only because he knew he was the best player in history. Even if he surpassed MJ’s ring count, Bryant would never put himself above his idol. He had too much respect for Mr. Air.