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The comparison between Michael Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant is one that every NBA aficionado loves making. By all accounts, Jordan was Kobe Bryant's idol. Kobe's contemporaries, notably including Shaquille O'Neal, have shared stories about Bryant that are eerily Jordan-esque.
O'Neal compared Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan on the Nelk podcast, while maintaining that he doesn't compare anyone else to Jordan.
Jordan and Bryant shared a brotherly relationship and faced each other a few times towards the back end of Jordan's career.
Jason Kidd, who went up against Kobe in the 2002 NBA Finals, talked about the same, noting the similarities between the two players on Showtime's "All The Smoke." He said:
"I think they were very similar, because Kobe, that was the guy that he watched, you know, he would walk, chew gum, right? A lot of times you're labeled as the next Michael. Well, he was, he was really the next Michael, you know, and nothing against anybody."
Grant Hill was among the most notable players in 1990s to be labeled the next Michael Jordan. Kidd continued:
"They got the label from the Dunk contest that they were going to be the next Michael. And a lot of times that was the curse and and so, but when you talk about Kobe and the closest thing to Michael is Kobe."
Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks' spectacular 2021-22 NBA season
Jason Kidd made a dream debut as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks in 2021-22. They made it to the Western Conference finals finishing as a top-four seed, 22 games above .500.
The Mavs overcame the Utah Jazz without Luka Doncic for half of the series. Through Kidd's coaching, the Mavericks triumphed over the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Kidd's adjustments throughout the series, specifically to target Chris Paul while defending, led to the Mavs securing four formidable wins.
The Mavericks were simply outmatched in the conference finals, with the Warriors being more talented and experienced and the eventual NBA champions. Luka Doncic still averaged 32 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in the series.
With the addition of Christian Wood, a roller and a pick-and-pop option, the Mavericks are perhaps the best young team in the West.
