"To some degree" - Michael Jordan once named two NBA stars who could possibly replace him

By the time he was almost near the end of his prime years in the NBA, Michael Jordan acknowledged the mark he would leave in the sport. He recognized that he had become the face of the league and arguably the greatest player of all time.

With that in mind, Jordan also understood that replacing him was easier said than done. However, MJ admitted that there were two notable young stars who could possibly be the next face of the league.

According to Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Grant Hill had shown some potential to be his rightful successor in the NBA. MJ knew that they had big shoes to fill but he hoped to pass the torch to Kobe and Hill someday.

“I’ve heard people say I’m the Babe Ruth of this half of the 20th century. I don’t know. Most recognized athlete? It seems that way,” Jordan once opened up in 1998. “But, man, it’s lasted a lot longer than I anticipated. I never thought it would go on like this. I’ll tell you, to remain a positive model in the public eye for so long, it takes a toll, it takes a big chunk of you. You want it to die out, but now it’s so deep, it’s a big responsibility that just goes on and on.”

“I see other players, other NBA stars, who can take some of the responsibility,” he continued. “Grant Hill. Kobe Bryant, to some degree. But still, a lot of that burden is on me.”

What Kobe and Hill said about being the next MJ

In terms of skills, Jordan was on point in naming Bryant and Hill as his possible successors. Like him, both of them were explosive and athletic. Moreover, they also possessed that magnetic charm that could possibly match Jordan’s fanfare.

While it should be a compliment to be mentioned as the next Jordan, Kobe and Hill didn’t really embrace that narrative. For them, player comparisons are inevitable, but they never once felt like they could take MJ’s place in the NBA.

“I appreciated them, but after a while, it just got old,” Bryant once said of the comparisons with Jordan. “They eventually faded away because I was putting together my own identity.”

“All you can do is try to be the best player you can be and not really think about [the comparisons],” Hill once said of being likened to MJ. “It’s more a fascination of the media. And barber shops.”

There’s only one Jordan

In retrospect, no player has ever really replaced Jordan. In fact, there has been a wide array of great players who have graced the NBA hardwood, but there is only one MJ.

Truth be told, it’s hard to disagree with that famous belief as Jordan has a number of accomplishments that no other player has surpassed or even matched. To this day, MJ still holds the record for most scoring titles with 10.

He has also never lost an NBA Finals series.

He also won the title in all six of his trips to the Finals, without ever going to a Game 7.

It’s also worth noting that Jordan was the first of the only three NBA players who won both the MVP award and the Defensive Player of the Year award in the same year.

The other two were Hakeem Olajuwon and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“To some degree” – Michael Jordan once named two NBA stars who could possibly replace him

Tags: