Kobe Bryant Was More Driven In Practice Than Michael Jordan -Phil Jackson

Who’s better between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan? The debate has raged on for years even as the Los Angeles Lakers star hits the twilight of his career while the Chicago Bulls legend has long retired. But according to the former head coach of both, Phil Jackson, Bryant was the more driven player in practice over what many considered as the greatest of all time in Jordan.

In a lengthy interview with the New York Post, Jackson revealed on one point something that most basketball fans probably won’t agree with although some quarters won’t be surprised with.

NY Post writer Steve Serby fired the question, “Is Kobe Bryant the model for Carmelo Anthony?

“No. No one can approach that. I don’t expect anybody to be able to model their behavior after that, although Kobe modeled his behavior a lot about Michael Jordan,” Jackson, the 11-time NBA champion, offered.

“But he went beyond Michael in his attitude towards training, and I know Mike would probably question me saying that, but he did.”

Jackson claim comes with hard evidence of course; he coached Michael Jordan from 1989 to 1998 and then Kobe Bryant from 1999 to 2004 and 2005 to 2011. Jackson and Jordan’s Bulls had a pair of three-peats from 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998 for six NBA championships in Chicago while Jackson and Bryant’s Lakers had a three-peat from 2000 to 2002 and two more in 2009 and 2010 for five NBA titles in Los Angeles.

Bryant has admitted multiple times in the past that he looks up to Jordan even patterning his game to the Bulls stars’ own game; from post up moves, fade away shots and generally how he handles himself in the floor.

With Phil Jackson’s revelation, it appears that Bryant has outdone the man he has idolised in one aspect: training harder and generally being more driven and motivated than Jordan in preparing for the games.