Mark Jackson on What it Was Like to Defend Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

 

Widely seen as the best basketball player of all-time, Michael Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA with the Bulls and Wizards, winning six NBA championships and achieving other numerous accolades.

Jordan retired for three seasons before coming back to the league in 2001 as a member of the Wizards for two years. He is the current owner of the Hornets and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kobe Bryant is possibly one of the greatest NBA players of all-time and the greatest Laker ever. Two jersey numbers in the rafters at the STAPLES Center prove it. Kobe was able to take over games in ways that not many players could.

His drive to win at any cost helped him succeed on and off the court. An 18-time NBA All-Star, five-time NBA champion and one-time NBA MVP, Kobe tragically passed away on January 26, 2020. Kobe’s game was influenced by Michael Jordan, he never denied it.

Eduardo Solano, from FOX Sports Radio 1340 AM Hopewell and AccuScore, wrote this about Kobe Bryant recently:

“I’ve always been a Chicago Bulls fan but I followed Kobe Bryant’s entire career! Kobe is one of my favorite athletes of all-time and I still can’t process that he is gone.”

Mark Jackson recently appeared on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe and explained why Jordan and Kobe were the toughest to defend: “Mike and Kobe just thought ‘attack’ every single moment on the floor. The mentality and the way they wear you down with their approach was like none other.”

Jackson on sticking his tongue out like MJ vs. the Bulls: “Young and dumb, I had a moment. It was a mistake ? Like MJ said in the documentary, he takes all of that and uses it as fuel. He did that and took over the game.”

He also discussed what it was like for the Pacers to face the Shaquille O’ Neal and Kobe Lakers in the 2000 NBA Finals: “We should’ve won. We lost Game 4 in OT. Shaq fouled out and the late great Kobe Bryant takes over the game. We did everything we could, we had the depth and versatility.”

He also talked about the time that Kobe Bryant played Reggie Miller 1v1 for “fun” after they shot a commercial together:

“Reg shot a jumper, knocks it down. Kobe’s eyes looked like they were back in the Finals. Kobe begins to put on an absolute clinic.”