Kobe Bryant was maniacally driven to match (if not surpass) Michael Jordan throughout his own legendary career, and says he has MJ beat in at least one category: perimeter shooting.
Kobe says his range was “limitless.”
Kobe was asked if he or Jordan had better range. His answer was what you would expect from Kobe.https://t.co/oAvNKBlktZ pic.twitter.com/POfYQhMVBP
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) December 18, 2017
Bryant points out that defenses he faced forced him to shoot from longer distances—he shot 32.9 percent from beyond the arc, compared to 32.7 percent for Jordan—and has no doubt that Mike would’ve developed similar range if he played in the same era.
Per Lakers Nation (via “Holding Court with Geno Auriemma“):
“Oh, I did. For sure. I mean, my range was limitless. I could shoot from anywhere,” Bryant said.
“Listen, it’s true. I put the time in for it. But the defenses that we faced were also different. I was facing zones, I had to move to the perimeter a lot more than MJ had to.
“He didn’t have to have that sort of range. I’m sure if he played in the era I played in, he would’ve developed that range.”
