"They are legends who always gave their best, trying to perfect their game" - Real Madrid's new signing Aurélien Tchouaméni cites Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as major inspirations

Former NBA superstars Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have transcended the sport with their influence. The duo have always been deeply revered by their peers and folks from other walks of life.

One such individual is Real Madrid's new signing Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The midfielder was announced by Real Madrid today as their newest signing, with the price set to be over 80 million euros. The French national spoke about the players he has looked up to.

He mentioned Bryant and MJ as two pivotal figures in his life. Tchouaméni said:

"I try to be inspired by American culture, people like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. They are legends who always gave their best, trying to perfect their game."

There are rumors that Real Madrid's newest signing has developed the habit of watching tapes from his own game. He's constantly trying to improve at his craft. So it is no coincidence that he has looked up to two players who possessed an incredible work ethic.

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Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls

Jordan and the Chicago Bulls ahead of a game in 1998.

Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls was something straight out of a movie. Jordan, along with Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Toni Kukoč, achieved a second three-peat with Phil Jackson at the helm.

In pursuit of his second three-peat, Jordan played like a man possessed. He averaged a league-leading 28.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He shot 46.5% from the field and a career-low 78.4% from the free-throw line.

Even more impressive was that Jordan played all 82 games for the third straight season and 38.8 minutes a night at age 34.

Chicago faced the New Jersey Nets (now known as the Brooklyn Nets) in the first round of the playoffs. Jordan dropped over 30 points in all three games in a sweep.

In the second round, the Bulls played the Charlotte Hornets (a franchise Jordan would later purchase). Jordan averaged 29.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 46.5%. The Bulls needed five games to get past the Hornets.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Indiana Pacers were waiting for Chicago.

Considered to be the toughest matchup of MJ's career, barring the Detroit Pistons in the late 1980s, the Pacers pushed the Bulls to seven games. Jordan averaged 31.7 PPG on 46.7% shooting, including 40.0% from 3-point range.

Against the Utah Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton, Jordan maintained his unblemished record of never going the distance in an NBA Finals series. The Bulls won in six games.

Jordan averaged 33.5 PPG on 42.7% shooting. That performance led the Bulls to their sixth championship.