Apparently Kobe and Jordan actually played 1 on 1

[eliteballer]

Kobe won.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvvWpPfXRhU

[RRR3]

Not bad for the 12th best player of all time.

[Phoenix]

That's not surprising if true. I would expect them to trade victories in a series of one on ones. These two would have only met in one of two scenarios, late prime MJ/ young Kobe or coming into prime Kobe/ old past prime MJ.

[SouBeachTalents]

Tbf John Rogers beat Jordan too, not exactly a difficult accomplishment.

[Micku]

Hold up. I don't even think John Salley is even talking about a straight up one on one. He said in the video:

John Salley: "I call it one on one because when Kobe was a laker and MJ was in his last year, Kobe goes for 50."

Man, I thought this was breaking news. I thought MJ played Kobe one on one shortly after the Bulls retirement or something that we didn't know about.

[999Guy]

Jesus Christ who gives a **** about these one dimensional chuckers this much?

They shot a lot, they scored a lot. Grow up already.

[Phoenix]

Hold up. I don't even think John Salley is even talking about a straight up one on one. He said in the video:

John Salley: "I call it one on one because when Kobe was a laker and MJ was in his last year, Kobe goes for 50."

Man, I thought this was breaking news. I thought MJ played Kobe one on one shortly after the Bulls retirement or something that we didn't know about.

Always thought this narrative was oddly out of touch with reality. Kobe scored 4 of those 55 points directly on MJ, the vast majority were on Stackhouse and Russell, a few 3's in Tyrone Lue's face etc etc. Kobe actually scored more points on MJ the game in Dec 97 when MJ had 36 to Kobe's 33, then the 55 point game. Granted, because I know someone will say it, IF MJ was guarding Kobe throughout that game he would have gotten torched. But it's always been more of a 'gotcha' talking point for Kobe fans arguing him against MJ.

[RRR3]

Trying to argue Kobe over MJ is like trying to argue AC/DC is better than The Beatles. It’s just objectively not true even if you prefer one style over the other.

[SouBeachTalents]

Trying to argue Kobe over MJ is like trying to argue AC/DC is better than The Beatles. It’s just objectively not true even if you prefer one style over the other.

Kobe was a 3x champ by 23, Jordan hadn't even gotten out of the first round by then. He has 12 All-Defensive Teams to Jordan's 9. He scored 81 points in a game, Jordan never did that. He also has more career points. So Kobe has plenty of arguments over Jordan.

[eliteballer]

Hold up. I don't even think John Salley is even talking about a straight up one on one. He said in the video:

John Salley: "I call it one on one because when Kobe was a laker and MJ was in his last year, Kobe goes for 50."

Man, I thought this was breaking news. I thought MJ played Kobe one on one shortly after the Bulls retirement or something that we didn't know about.

You missed the part where Salley says Jordan told him Kobe beat him 1 on 1.

[Phoenix]

You missed the part where Salley says Jordan told him Kobe beat him 1 on 1.

Not a whole lot to take from anything said. At the point Kobe and MJ's careers intersected, Kobe either would have been too young and over-zealous to beat a late prime MJ (96-98), or MJ would have been too old to beat Kobe when he was good enough to overcome any experience edge MJ had (2001-2003). Neither scenario is worth bragging about for anyone arguing for one over the other. MJ and Kobe in their respective primes going head to head would take turns beating each other in one on ones, but we never got anything close to that scenario.

[FKAri]

Is there any footage of Kobe going 1 on 1 vs an investment banker?

[Phoenix]

Is there any footage of Kobe going 1 on 1 vs an investment banker?

[Real Men Wear Green]

If they did go 1 on 1 that result wouldn't be surprising. Supposedly in one on one Michael Beasley used to destroy all comers including guys like Lebron James. One on one is not NBA team basketball. Things like passing ability, defensive awareness, how a guy handles pick and roll on both sides of the ball, of the ball play on both sides of the ball, and on and on don't matter. If the game is played make it, take it or you just don't have to win by two baskets some guy like Ja Morant would be unbeatable if he got the ball first.

[GimmeThat]

that'd be like asking 2 QBs try to compare their ability based on how well they perform as a RB