"You better than Mike?" - Former Lakers champion reveals Kobe Bryant despised being in Michael Jordan's shadow

Kobe Bryant embodied his mantra of Mamba Mentality, his idea of being the best version of oneself, even after he retired from the NBA. The LA Lakers legend was fearless and never considered himself less than anybody when it came to basketball. Not even Michael Jordan.

When Bryant entered the league in 1996, he was considered a carbon copy of MJ. From shot selections and body language to bubble gum in his mouth, Bryant embodied MJ, not because he wanted to be Jordan, but because he wanted to be the greatest.

After initial struggles in the league, Bryant rose to become arguably the NBA's most gifted scorer. Even if the last-second shot was impossible for him, Bryant took it without passing to one of his teammates. It wasn’t because he was a ball hog, but because he believed he could make the shot.

Recently, Lamar Odom, who won two NBA championships with Bryant in LA, recalled Bryant’s confidence and belief in himself with his former Lakers teammate Ron Artest, also known as Metta World Peacd on “The LADE Show.”

Artest recalled the time when he had called Jordan the greatest in the world. Later, Bryant called Artest and started telling his teammate why he was the No. 1 ahead of Jordan. To add to that, Odom recalled the time Bryant hit a game-winner against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2004.

“We were on a bus one night," Odom said. "I think this is when after he hit this nice game-winner against Milwaukee. My n**ga come on the bus and say in front of me, he says, “Yo! I am better than Mike”... I was like, ‘You better than Mike? That’s how you feeling?’”

This wasn't the only time Bryant voiced that he was better than MJ. When a reporter asked Bryant, who would win one-on-one between him and Jordan, Bryant picked himself without hesitation.

Bryant's legacy doesn't just live on the basketball court. With his work ethic, Kobe Bryant inspired millions across the world. His "Mamba Mentality" is still inspiring the young generation.

Kobe Bryant dedicated his titles to Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan shared an amicable relationship outside the NBA basketball court. When Bryant was drafted by the Lakers in 1996, it was easy to detect in his game that he wanted to be the best and was ready to go any length.

Bryant won five championships with the Lakers, but the NBA legend said that he wouldn’t have had those rings if it wasn’t for Jordan.

In Episode 5 of “The Last Dance, Bryant dedicated his career to his idol.

"He's like my big brother," Bryant said. "I truly hate having discussions about who would win one-on-one. You heard fans saying, 'Hey, Kob, you beat Michael one-on-one.' I feel like, yo, what you get from me is from him.

"I don't get five championships here without him because he guided me so much and gave so much great advice."

Jordan won six NBA titles and six NBA Finals MVP awards. Bryant was declared the Finals MVP twice. He is one of the only 12 players in league history to have won five championships. Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year.