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“Five beats one” – When Michael Jordan was asked to choose between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in 2013

Posted on May 9, 2024 - 3:43 am by

It’s no secret that Michael Jordan frequently offered lofty praises to Kobe Bryant, even shedding plenty of tears because of the late Los Angeles Lakers icon’s untimely passing. “His Airness” has also spoken highly of LeBron James but does not appear to be in the same way as he talks about Bryant.

In 2013, Jordan was asked to choose between Kobe and James. He hesitated at first before sharing his observations about his fellow hoops legends’ games.

“That’s a tough one, man,” MJ answered. “I’d say…Kevin Durant. No, I’m just kidding. In terms of dominance of the game of basketball at this stage, it’s LeBron. Championship-wise, it’s Kobe Bryant. He wants it so bad, and he’s willing to go to the extreme, guarding a guy, guarding a point guard at the age of 34, playing 38 minutes, 40 minutes. It’s ludicrous. I think this is what he’s battling with. It is what it is. He’s cursed as much as I am.”



“If we had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice. But five beats one.”

Kobe versus Bron in ’13

If there’s someone who can use the ring’s argument when making a case for GOATs or comparing players, that’s MJ. After all, the Chicago Bulls clinched six championships and never lost a Finals series. The only guys with an unbeaten record in the championship stage who won more titles are 60’s Celtics players and Robert Horry.

In 2013, Bryant was one ring away from matching Jordan’s total championship count. Meanwhile, James was on his way to winning just his second title that year despite having been in the league since 2003. On a positive note, he secured four MVP awards in five seasons, highlighting the dominance that Mike alluded to.



Of course, LeBron would win two more down the road, but he is still trailing Jordan and Bryant in the rings department. The former Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat superstar once admitted to being motivated to chase the ghost of Jordan. However, time is running out for him to fight for more titles.

Kobe versus Bron in their latter years

Given Bryant’s advantage in total ring count, MJ probably still has “Black Mamba” ahead of “King James.” Moreover, the five-time MVP gushed about Kobe’s competitive drive and willingness to take on heavy assignments despite being advanced in age and the mileage on his body.

Unfortunately, injuries, particularly a dreaded torn Achilles tendon, stopped him in his tracks in the 2012-13 season. He even recorded several 40-point games in his year-34 campaign.



James has also shown elite skills after turning 34 years old. However, he doesn’t have the reputation of bearing the killer mindset that Bryant was praised for by plenty of people, including Jordan.