Monday, March 14th, 2011 at 10:00 am  |  231 responses

Phil Jackson: ‘Stop Comparing Anyone to Michael Jordan’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The basketball-watching world will never stop trying to figure out who the next Michael Jordan is. Though most reasonable folks know that person doesn’t exist, it won’t stop them from trying.

Phil Jackson coached MJ, and now coaches the guy who a lot of people have compared to Mike in terms of ability, killer instinct, and above all else, winning.

According to the Zen Master, though, there’s no point trying to measure anyone against Michael Jordan. He’s in a category all to his own.

From the LA Times:

“Kobe has patterned himself after Michael, and there are a lot of identical things there, but it’s one thing to hope to be like him, it’s another thing to be like him.” So when Jackson’s next book comes out, and it will, will Jackson reveal who he thinks was best — Jordan or Bryant?

“We have to take Michael Jordan out of the equation. Stop comparing anyone to Michael Jordan. It’s just not fair. He was remarkable. Kobe’s in his own sphere. He doesn’t shoot the same percentage [.455] as Michael [.497]. He has the same characteristics as Michael, but he’s not the same player. It takes nothing away from him — he’s a great player in his own right.”

Jackson then tells a story about Jordan playing 27 holes of golf before a playoff game against Miami — in which he scored 56 points. “He had this unbelievable amount of energy that I’ve never seen anybody have,” says Jackson, who wasn’t thrilled with Kobe’s late-night extra practice in Miami. “We’d play three games in four nights on the road and he’d be better the third night than the first. Remarkable.”

Of course, the Jordan/Kobe comparisons will continue to rage on until the end of time, despite the futility of such an exercise.

And should Bryant’s Lakers manage to successfully defend their title this summer, giving Kobe and MJ six championships apiece, even fewer people will heed Phil Jackson’s sage advice.

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  • http://www.slamonline.com Mars

    Jordan is the measurement of Greatness in b-ball. Even if Kobe aint Jordan, he still gets compared to him. You gassed him up, NOW he’s on the verge of equaling Jordan’s greatness.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Mars

    Kobe replaced Jordan, LeBron is replacing everyone. Who got NEXT?

  • PapaBearATL

    I think the talent pool was much deeper in the late 80′s through the 90′s. What Jordan was able to accomplish against the competition he had is amazing. Kobe is a great player, similar style but, there is really no way to gauge how he would have done against Magic, MJ, Bird, Olajuwon, Malone and Stockton, and the list goes on. There is great talent now in the NBA but the era that MJ played in is almost mythological, lol. Kobe is also being coached by Phil Jackson, so I don’t think the debate will ever end.

  • Justin

    Jukai, did I really see you compare Kobe and MJ’s girth and length? lol Wow!

  • http://slamonline.com big_ticket

    there is only one mj..no one comes close..

  • http://www.slamonline.com peter

    Everyone who is saying that Jordan willingly used his teammates has some major revisionist history going on in their minds. Kobe was actually much more of an all round player at an early age, maybe not by choice, but he was forced to because he had to be with Shaq on the team. He’s a great passer when he wants to be, probably better than Jordan. Don’t get me wrong, Jordan is the greatest of all time, but he wasn’t a model teammate. Both of them are pretty similar in that respect. Oh and p.s. Kobe did play Iverson in a playoff series…the Lakers won 4-1.

  • Naiym

    Wowo this again. Let it die.. Kobe isn’t Mike..He just won’t be..He wants to be better..which is , ya know…admirable…b/c a lot are trying to be showouts and money makers…I gotta respect K24 for jsut wanting to be the best and win…but I grew up in Jordan era, saw the DUDE play in person…and I’ve seen K24 too..Kobe is sick , yes..but Man Jordan was like from another parallel universe on the court… Jordan’s the GOAT…and Until I see someone better i’ll stand by that…now Kobe’s no lightweight. arguably the best of the POst-Jordan era…You hear that..POST-JORDAN ERA….i guarentee no one say POST kobe era…they won’t no matter how great. Jordan owns the bball world, he earned it…and it’s fair at that.

  • Heezthedude

    I’m a big Michael Jordan fan. There is one thing that you have to remember about Jordan’s career. If you look @ the talent pool that he faced during his championships, the players were nowhere near as athletic as he was in his day. He stood heads above them all. Look at his era. Michael didn’t win in the 80′s with Bird, Magic, and Isiah Thomas in their primes. He beat an old Lakers team, The Suns, The Blazers who had only 1 star close to him and that was Drexler, Supersonics where there was noone even close to his skill level, and an old Utah Jazz team. Look at the talent pool that Kobe has to face on nightly basis. There are tons of athletic players that he matched up with throughout his career. (Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady,D-Wade, Lebron James, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd (in his prime), Tim Duncan (in his prime), Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudamire, etc. Basically the talent pool has been much more even then when Jordan played. Kobe maybe doesn’t have the MVP’s and scoring titles as Michael, but that goes back to the dominance that Jordan had over the league at that time. Kobe had to play 2nd fiddle to Shaq and kind of pull back to spare Shaq’s ego.

  • http://www.theresastatforthat.blogspot.com Deron

    Kobe is the closest thing to Jordan, but at the same time, he is not close to Jordan. He is the best of his era, but a new era is starting now.

    http://theresastatforthat.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_15.html

  • Justin

    if Michael wanted to just like pippen said he could average 40pts a game if he was still an active player an get 100pts vs kobes 81

  • http://www.slamonline.com Mars

    wait…? Is Michael better than Magic??? I don’t think so. How come Magic don’t get press like Jordan.

  • Manu

    haha. it was LA vs. Iverson in 2001 first of all….2nd of all…shaq 3 finals mvps, duncan 3, jordan 6,….kobe 2…nuff said right there

    how can u say kobes #2 when kareem abdul jabbars got f**kin 6 mvps and bill russells got 11 rings and chamberlains got over 50 NBA records

    wtf is wrong with u kobe homers…ive watched him my whole life hes top 10 all time but #2…jesus christ ur delusional

  • J

    KOBE+WADE=JORDAN(prime+later in career, with the better shooting ability)

  • Delmar

    Jordan is the Greatest of all time!!! Period!! i’m a HUGE Kobe fan, but even I have to admit it. there was something unworldy about Jordan! I was convinced after seeing the game where Jordan was sick and so weak. battled the flu and had to be carried off by Scottie, still carrying his team to a win.

  • http://slamonline.com Tae

    Come on Dacre, Kobe played AI in tha 08 first round when he was with Denver. AI coulodnt guard him n denver got swept

  • http://yahoo MJ

    KOBE SUCKS

  • http://www.slamonline.com t~rizzle

    jordan is the best EVER period.

  • http://www.slamonline.com t~rizzle

    how do can u even think of comparing anyone to someone like michael jordan? in my opinon jordan will forever be the one and only

  • http://www.slamonline.com t~rizzle

    I’m a big Michael Jordan fan. There is one thing that you have to remember about Jordan’s career. If you look @ the talent pool that he faced during his championships, the players were nowhere near as athletic as he was in his day. He stood heads above them all. Look at his era. Michael didn’t win in the 80′s with Bird, Magic, and Isiah Thomas in their primes. He beat an old Lakers team, The Suns, The Blazers who had only 1 star close to him and that was Drexler, Supersonics where there was noone even close to his skill level, and an old Utah Jazz team. Look at the talent pool that Kobe has to face on nightly basis. There are tons of athletic players that he matched up with throughout his career. (Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady,D-Wade, Lebron James, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd (in his prime), Tim Duncan (in his prime), Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudamire, etc. Basically the talent pool has been much more even then when Jordan played. Kobe maybe doesn’t have the MVP’s and scoring titles as Michael, but that goes back to the dominance that Jordan had over the league at that time. Kobe had to play 2nd fiddle to Shaq and kind of pull back to spare Shaq’s ego.

  • Demigod

    Duncan’s tatoo is called a Slag-Tag where im at. a Slag is a working girl.

  • Demigod

    I wouldn’t be suprised if Kobe changed his number to 7 next season.

  • Demigod

    there will never be another kurt rambis

  • http://www.blackmountaincompany.com compleatcarpenter

    There’s a guy who played for the Boston Celtics for 13 seasons who has 11 championship rings. Before we start talking about the greatest player, how about we make a list of those to be considered. Bill Russell is at the top of that list.

  • sean

    Phil said it best here,there no one like MIKE even though i seen KOBE game and body language that you compare JORDAN because he did pattern his game after him.But what separates JORAN from anyone is his hang-time in air and his creativity in air to to make difficult shots look easy.He best at game winning shots hands down.It’s like you never see anyone make as difficult a shot as DR J did in scoop shot behind basket or ICEMAN finger roll from behind basket that u can compare players to them.Lebon James will never be Michael Jordan,they style of play is very different. Dominque Wilkins may be best dunker ever because every dunk he did was high-light film,not great dunk here ,average dunk there like many other great dunker’s.

  • rhys

    Jordan has 6 finals mvps kobe has 2 nuff said

  • Tonton

    The greatness of the players depends on how he performs on and off the court … retired or not … Those who passed away should be eligible for comparison … Your good reputation when you live will give best evaluation of your status as a valuable player. IF Jordan or Kobe dies in the tragic accident or commit mortal sin they will both vanish in the book of the NBA basketball. Legends should be written with the good reputation of a person identifying those words.

  • Kerry

    Kobe needed Shaq 4 the 1st 3 rings. Bulls needed Jordan for all 6! There goes your difference!

  • Beth

    #1 all time in PER
    #1 all time in PPG reg season
    #1 all time in PPG playoffs
    #1 all time in blocks for a guard
    #2 all time in steals
    #3 all time in rebounds for a guard

    Here’s what makes MJ truly great: He played better in the playoffs than in the regular season. The same cannot be said about Kobe.

  • Unknown

    To all of the human beings who compare kobe bryant to michael jordan better read this

    MICHAEL JORDAN IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE A BETTER PLAYER THAN KOBE BRYANT BECAUSE:

    1. IN 6 OF MICHAEL JORDAN’S NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS HE WAS THE MVP FINALS EVERYTIME, IN 5 OF KOBE BRYANT’S CHAMPIONSHIP HE WAS ONLY THE MVP FINALS 2 TIMES

    2. 6 OF MICHAEL JORDAN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE WON OUT OF A THREE-PEAT, IF KOBE BRYANT WINS ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP HE STILL WON’T BE AS GOOD AS MICHAEL JORDAN BECAUSE HE ONLY WON A THREE-PEAT ONCE AND DURING THAT THREE-PEAT HE WASN’T THE MVP AT ANY OF THEM

    3. MICHAEL JORDAN HAS 5 MVP, KOBE BRYANT 1

    4. MICHAEL JORDAN 10 SCORING TITLES (7 CONSECUTIVE), KOBE BRYANT 1

    5. MICHAEL JORDAN 1 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, KOBE BRYANT 0

    6. ALTOUGH KOBE BRYANT ONCE SCORED 81 POINT HIS TEAM WAS PLAYING AGAINST ONE OF THE WORST TEAM AT THAT TIME WHICH IS THE TORONTO RAPTORS, WHEN MICHAEL JORDAN ONLY SCORED 63 POINTS HIS TEAM WAS PLAYING AGAINTS ONE OF THE GREATEST NBA TEAMS IN THE 80′s WHICH FEATURED 4 HALL OF FAME PLAYERS AND THEY ARE LARRY BIRD, KEVIN MCHALE, ROBERT PARISH, AND DENNIS JOHNSON AND THAT 63 POINTS IS ALSO AN NBA PLAYOFF RECORD FOR MOST POINTS SCORED THAT IS STILL A RECORD TODAY

    7. PHIL JACKSON ONCE SAID THAT KOBE IS UNCOACHABLE BECAUSE HE TENDS TO IGNORE THE TRIANGLE OFFENSE, MICHAEL ALWAYS RUNS THE TRIANGLE OFFENSE WHEN HE IS TOLD TO BY PHIL JACKSON

    8. KOBE ISN’T A BETTER DEFENDER THAN MICHAEL

    9. MICHAEL JORDAN 49-50% FG, KOBE BRYANT 43-45% FG THIS PROVES THAT MICHAEL IS A MORE EFICIENT PLAYER

    10. MICHAEL JORDAN STILL HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST POINTS IN A CAREER WITH 31.1 PPG

    Thank you for reading this, i hope after you read this all of you will finally relize that Michael Jordan is an always will be the GREATEST OF ALL TIME (GOAT)…PEACE :) :) …

  • Brian

    Hurricane, i like your use of maths only problem is that even in you twisted logic jordan still came up with a better scoring average. How can you use that to say that kobe is better? you even admit that kobe has a bad shot selection. So to paraphrase your argument your saying that kobe is better because he has a lower scoring average and has bad shot selection, genius. lol

  • Ran Karat
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