Michael Jeffrey Jordan and Kobe Bryant

When Jordan returned to the NBA after his second retirement, playing in Washington at age 38, the 24th was on his way to the pinnacle of his career. But, again, Mike wanted to show him that he was still effective and at his best, which was one of the goals of his return in 2001. In Wizards' second season, in the first game between the two, MJ had a solid performance, coming off the bench, scoring 25 points in just 30 minutes (9 on the field). -14), which played a decisive role in a surprise 100-99 victory over the Lakers. The 24-year-old Bryant, nearly 16 years younger than MJ, was underwhelming, going 8-21 with 27 points on the floor, and that didn't stop the defeat. Gilbert Arenas, who will be a Washington star since 2003, said MJ handed Kobe his sneakers (Jordan 8) as they left the court and patted him on the tail while giving him Leaving a mocking phrase. "You can use them, but you can never fill them." It might seem like a joke, but it hit Bryant so hard that he didn't speak to his teammates for days. "It's not your problem. Jordan told him, 'He can imitate him all he wants, but he'll never be able to match him,'" Phil Jackson assured them, according to Arenas.

Then, everyone looks at the fixtures and when they'll cross the road with Wizards of the Coast again. Almost five months later, in Los Angeles. Kobe scored that game on the calendar. red. "They told me they already knew what to expect when they faced each other again," Gilbert said. Unsurprisingly, when that time came, the 24th continued. 55 points in the first half, 42 points in the first half! , of which 15-29 were in the wild, and 9-13 were tripled. It was a real recital against Jordan, who turned 40. MJ had 23 points, 10-20 on the field, and played a whopping 41 minutes. The rematch has been completed. Again. He suffered this pain until the 23rd. "Kobe was a psychopath, it's that simple," Arenas concluded.

It was no accident that Kobe ruined MJ's last All-Star Game a month ago on February 9. It was in Atlanta that Jordan beat one of the best defenders of the moment, Sean Marion, with three seconds left in the playoffs to give the East the lead. Days after his 40th birthday, that suspended win shot seemed to be a new chapter in Hollywood in a story full of epic moments, but Bryant's last game was lacking and he was given two free and forced In the new overtime, Bryant will complete the task of taking the victory and MVP away from his master -- which will be left to Kevin Garnett from the West. That game is also remembered for their duel on the field. There are also laughter conversations, which can be heard through the NBA's microphones.

MJ: "Foul all day..." KB: "Oh, I know you're not serious, I know you're not serious" MJ: "Hey, be careful, you only have three (rings), I have six. That's foul, I'll foul. Don't forget you had three today..." -KB: "I know what you're doing... Next time you have to pull faster." -MJ: "If you knew What am I going to do, why are you pretending to eat?".-KB: "Mike, where are you going after you're surprised?-MJ: "You lifted your foot and forgot"-KB: "But I (in the show) ) Have you turned around? Seriously, where are you going? "-MJ: "I'm going to find you. I'm going to get your ribs. "

That was the case on the field, but the story outside was different. They even met with MJ to give her advice in November '99. At Phil Jackson's request, he thought Kobe was going through a moment that Jordan had overcome before he started winning championships. True to his personality, Kobe was competitive even in words, breaking the ice with his own style. "Hey Mike, how are you? You know I can kick your ass in a 1v1, right?" The best man ever managed to smile. He's retired, has nothing to prove, and would rather let himself go. "Of course it will. I haven't played in a while...but the important thing here is that we can chat so you can learn from the mistakes I made." His Majesty said of many things he saw in Kobe Both feel they identify with themselves. That's what Phil Jackson said in his book "Eleven Rings."

"I grew up watching his games and admiring him, and we had a very special relationship from that day," admitted Bryant, who was already a standout winner thanks to his legacy. MJ looked depressed after his death. "I can't describe my pain. He loved Kobe, he was like a little brother. We used to talk a lot and I will miss him. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greatest, a creative force , and an incredible father," Michael wrote after the news broke. He was the most emotional, and the one who cried the most, at the tribute at the Staples Center shortly after. Of course, because he admired his passion, his students loved him very much and were very keen to be like him. He appreciates that he has replicated everything in the game, even the challenge of trying to overcome it..."Kobe was as passionate as anyone else. And he wanted to be the best player he could be...he was before Text me at 3am. Crazy. But I learned to love him and try to be the best big brother I can be. Everyone wants to talk to me about comparisons, I just want to talk to him." And so he wrapped up wholeheartedly with a beautiful speech that left many young people with morals aside from Kobe Bryant: use every day, every hour, to do better what you love and live a better life. A good life and spending time with their loved ones. Michael and Kobe did just that. This always brings them together.