Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are often regarded as two of the NBA’s biggest-ever stars. Both had illustrious careers, with Jordan winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and Bryant winning five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, their competitive nature sometimes led to intense interactions, one of which left a lasting impact on Bryant.
During their playing days, it was revealed that Jordan once made Bryant so angry that he didn’t speak to his teammates for two weeks. The incident occurred after a match in which Jordan’s team won while Bryant was wearing Jordan 8 sneakers. According to former Washington Wizards player Gilbert Arenas, Jordan taunted Bryant after the game, saying, “You can wear the shoes but you’ll never fill them.”
Arenas recounted the story, saying, “So what happened next is, during that time after Kobe got, so Kobe didn’t say anything to anybody. So, for like two weeks they said, Kobe was just mute. Like, he didn’t talk to his players, didn’t talk to his teammates. Just, they said he was in a, like, focus mode. Like it was straight. Like practice was just so intense. Right? So, the players were like, ‘yo is he mad at us? Did we do something to him?’”
He added, “And then Phil (Jackson) was like, ‘no, no, no, no, no. Jordan told him, you can wear the shoes but you can never fill them.’ And they were like, ‘oh sh*t, when do we play them again?’ They were like, ‘yeah we play them in a few days.’ And that’s the game when Kobe had like 55.”
This incident is a testament to Bryant’s intense competitive spirit and his drive to prove himself. The taunt from Jordan, widely regarded as the NBA’s greatest player of all time, served as fuel for Bryant, pushing him to elevate his game even further.
Throughout his career, Bryant was known for his relentless work ethic and his fierce desire to win. Playing solely for the Los Angeles Lakers, he won five NBA championships, was named the NBA Finals MVP twice, and the NBA Most Valuable Player once in 2008. Additionally, Bryant was named an NBA All-Star 18 times, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
