Having had the chance to rub shoulders with the two for many years, Phil Jackson knows better than anyone what differentiates Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. For the legendary coach, everything rests on the relationship with the teammates.
It’s not a secret, Kobe Bryant was a big fan of American football, especially the Eagles from his hometown of Philadelphia. These images of the Mamba celebrating the Eagles Superbowl in 2018 against the Patriots dynasty are still as heart-warming. Attention, strong emotions guaranteed.
So last May, when he was invited by the Eagles to give a little speech to the players via Skype, Phil Jackson could not help talking about the one who offered him 5 rings at the Lakers. And because The Last Dance was making the buzz at the time, the comparison between the Mamba and Michael Jordan was inevitable.
According to Tim McManus of ESPN, who had some feedback about the video call, the main difference between the two was how they ran the locker room. Here is what the journalist wrote on the site of the largest sports media in the world.
Phil Jackson obviously gave some details on The Last Dance, and gave his point of view on the difference between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. According to him, MJ led his team the hard way, and did not hesitate to insult his teammates, when Kobe set an example by not letting anyone work more than him.
Read also | List of all All-Stars eliminated from playoffs by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Phil Jackson also showed the importance for everyone to know their role. No matter if he is important to the team or not, everyone should be proud of what they bring. According to the Zen Master, more than the stars, it was the players that no one noticed who kept the squad standing.
Here is a statement that closely resembles the Zen Master. His greatest strength, throughout his career on the bench, is having managed to involve all of his players. His triangle would never have worked, for example, without everyone’s willingness to participate.
As for the difference between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, we cannot contradict him. As well illustrated TLD, MJ was all a tyrant in training. It is not for nothing that he fought with the kind and calm Steve Kerr. But his method was effective… As far as Kobe was concerned, this was more soft, but he also knew how to make himself heard…
Obviously, no one will reach the intensity of Michael Jordan with his teammates. But Kobe is already very close to it…
–
