When Michael Jordan made Kobe Bryant so mad that he didn't talk for weeks and later torched him for 55 points

Michael Jordan was Kobe Bryant's idol, and the latter was the closest thing the NBA has seen to MJ. From his pump fakes to fadeaways to being a terror in practice and using the same mannerisms, Bryant emulated everything Jordan did on and off the court.

His words and advice meant more to him than anyone else. Jordan was the only player Kobe looked to establish a relationship with during his initial years in the league. Bryant also took offense at a taunt Jordan directed at him in the 2002-03 season.

The two went head-to-head for the final two times in their careers that year, with that being Jordan's farewell season. He was with the Wizards at the time. Jordan still got the better of Bryant and the Lakers during their first meeting when he guided Washington to a 100-99 win on November 8th, 2002.

The win wasn't enough for Michael Jordan. According to former Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, the six-time champion said this to Bryant after handing him a one-point loss:

"In Washington, Jordan gets that win, hits him on the butt and says ‘you can put the shoes on, but you ain’t gon never fill ’em’. You never gonna fill these shoes, that’s basically what he was telling Kobe."

Kobe Bryant, being the ultimate competitor he is, remembered Jordan's comments from their previous meeting as their March 28, 2003 game approached. According to Arenas, Bryant went two weeks without talking to any of his teammates after that game. Here's what he said:

"So, they say, Kobe didn’t talk to the team… for two weeks. He just went silent, but he was on one million. So they say, ‘Phil [Jackson], what’s up with Kobe? Is he mad at us?’ He was like, ‘Nah, he ain’t mad at you.. Jordan… in Washington…He told him, he can copy him all he want, but he will never fill these shoes.' They were like, ‘I feel sorry for the next time we play Jordan.'"

Kobe Bryant punished Michael Jordan and torched the Wizards for 55 points that game. He shot 51.9%, including 9-of-13 from 3-point range and 16-of-18 from the free throw line. Kobe had 42 in the first half alone. The Lakers won that contest 108-94 against the home crowd. Jordan, meanwhile, had 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting.

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Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan were in a different zone when they took it personally

Michael Jordan was no different than Kobe Bryant when it came to taking offense about personal jabs their rivals took at them. The duo would predict the outcome of what they were going to do and deliver on that come game time.

Jordan and Bryant fed off that energy, which was enough to put them in a zone, help them lock in and focus more to decimate their opponents. That's what made them two of the most feared players in the league. Their killer instinct is something the NBA world still talks about, which separated them from the rest as two of the greatest players ever.