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Throughout his career, Kobe Bryant was constantly compared to Michael Jordan. One coach with close ties to both NBA icons recently shared his thoughts on the similiarities between the two legends.
On the "Sloane Knows" podcast, Doc Rivers, the Milwaukee Bucks coach, discussed the things Kobe and MJ had in common. Rivers gave both physical and mental reasons about why the LA Lakers legend reminded him of "His Airness."
"He was just close to Michael in my opinion as there has ever been," Rivers said.
"Everything he did reminded you of michael, even later in his career. What I loved about him most was his brain. And the same thing with Michael was his intensity, he was a cold-blooded killer, I loved players like that."
It's no secret that Kobe Bryant drew a lot of inspiration from Jordan. He perfected all the same moves, becoming one of the most lethal guards in the game.
By far the key thing they shared was competitive nature. When it came to desire to win on a nightly basis, Kobe and Jordan were in a class of their own, winning a combined 11 championship rings between them.
Doc Rivers had an up-close view of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Countless people in and around the league have discussed this topic, but Doc Rivers is different. If anyone knows Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan well, it's him. During decades-long run in the NBA, he had an up-close view of both players.
Before getting into coaching, Rivers had a 13-year career as a player. He was drafted into the league in 1983, one year before Jordan.
Spending most of his career in the Eastern Conference, Rivers faced off against Jordan for over a decade. They had countless battles in the late 80s and early 90s while Rivers was playing for the Atlanta Hawks. Rivers, though, missed the chance of playing against Kobe, as he retired following the 1995-96 season.
As a coach, Rivers battled against Kobe Bryant on the game's biggest stage. In 2008, he coached the trio of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to NBA Finals, beating Kobe and the LA Lakers.
Rivers and the Boston Celtics took home the title, but Kobe would avenge that two years later. Led by the duo of Kobe and Paul Gasol, the Lakers secured their 16th championship, marking Kobe's fifth and final title.
