Two days ago ESPN had an article outlining the opinion of NBA Executives around the league, to get their views on the forever ongoing Jordan-Kobe comparisons.
Kobe Bryant could be greater than Michael Jordan - ESPN New York
"I have seen Kobe grow from a scary athlete into a scary basketball player, and there's a big difference between the two. But as much as I've admired Kobe, Michael is still the greatest player I've ever seen in all facets of the game"
-Jerry West
"Phil [Jackson] made it easier to score for both of them by running the triangle; neither one could score from the post before Phil put that in. I never saw Kobe practice, but I do know Michael practiced so hard that he made Scottie a Hall of Fame player just by bringing out his toughness. If Michael didn't retire to play baseball, I think we could've won eight straight championships.
"You couldn't ask a tougher question than 'Michael or Kobe,' but I'd go with Michael. Nobody was close to Michael in his era, and in Kobe's era you had [Tim] Duncan winning four with the Spurs. And now you have LeBron James, who might be better than them both."
-Jerry Krause
"Kobe is the closest thing to Michael we've seen, but with all due respect to him, Kobe isn't quite Michael Jordan. I think Michael is just a little bit better across the board, even though Kobe might end up as the leading scorer in the history of the league by the time he's through. Both have been really tough on teammates, and in a good way, but I think Michael as a leader is probably a little ahead of Kobe. I drafted Michael, and if I had a choice of these two, I'd take Michael again." - Rod Thorn
"In their prime, if you said to me I could have one or the other, I'd take Michael. They're very similar, two remarkable players. Kobe's the better shooter and Michael's stronger, and I'd give Michael the edge defensively. It's pick your poison with them, but I'd lean toward Michael. Some teammates didn't like him, either, but I think he was better at pulling them along than Kobe was."
- John Nash
And this is what the Zen Master himself had to say in 2011....
"Kobe has patterned himself after Michael, and there are a lot of identical things there,” Jackson told the Los Angeles Times, “but it's one thing to hope to be like him, it's another thing to be like him."
"I'm with (ESPN's) Bill Simmons on this," he added. "We have to take Michael Jordan out of the equation. Stop comparing anyone to Michael Jordan. It's just not fair. He was remarkable. ... "
"(Kobe) doesn't shoot the same percentage (.455) as Michael (.497). He has the same characteristics as Michael, but he's not the same player. It takes nothing away from him — he's a great player in his own right."
Phil Jackson says Kobe Bryant not in Michael Jordan's company - NBA - Sporting News
Kobe Bryant could be greater than Michael Jordan - ESPN New York
"I have seen Kobe grow from a scary athlete into a scary basketball player, and there's a big difference between the two. But as much as I've admired Kobe, Michael is still the greatest player I've ever seen in all facets of the game"
-Jerry West
"Phil [Jackson] made it easier to score for both of them by running the triangle; neither one could score from the post before Phil put that in. I never saw Kobe practice, but I do know Michael practiced so hard that he made Scottie a Hall of Fame player just by bringing out his toughness. If Michael didn't retire to play baseball, I think we could've won eight straight championships.
"You couldn't ask a tougher question than 'Michael or Kobe,' but I'd go with Michael. Nobody was close to Michael in his era, and in Kobe's era you had [Tim] Duncan winning four with the Spurs. And now you have LeBron James, who might be better than them both."
-Jerry Krause
"Kobe is the closest thing to Michael we've seen, but with all due respect to him, Kobe isn't quite Michael Jordan. I think Michael is just a little bit better across the board, even though Kobe might end up as the leading scorer in the history of the league by the time he's through. Both have been really tough on teammates, and in a good way, but I think Michael as a leader is probably a little ahead of Kobe. I drafted Michael, and if I had a choice of these two, I'd take Michael again." - Rod Thorn
"In their prime, if you said to me I could have one or the other, I'd take Michael. They're very similar, two remarkable players. Kobe's the better shooter and Michael's stronger, and I'd give Michael the edge defensively. It's pick your poison with them, but I'd lean toward Michael. Some teammates didn't like him, either, but I think he was better at pulling them along than Kobe was."
- John Nash
And this is what the Zen Master himself had to say in 2011....
"Kobe has patterned himself after Michael, and there are a lot of identical things there,” Jackson told the Los Angeles Times, “but it's one thing to hope to be like him, it's another thing to be like him."
"I'm with (ESPN's) Bill Simmons on this," he added. "We have to take Michael Jordan out of the equation. Stop comparing anyone to Michael Jordan. It's just not fair. He was remarkable. ... "
"(Kobe) doesn't shoot the same percentage (.455) as Michael (.497). He has the same characteristics as Michael, but he's not the same player. It takes nothing away from him — he's a great player in his own right."
Phil Jackson says Kobe Bryant not in Michael Jordan's company - NBA - Sporting News
