We've seen countless YouTube videos showcasing similar plays from the two legendary shooting guards, and the narrative has only been aided by the current great sticking his tongue out while he drives to the basket, shrugging after he buries a three-pointer and constantly working to add distinctly Jordan-esque moves to his immense arsenal.
No player was ever truly going to match the presumptive GOAT, but Bryant did his darnedest and, at times, came close.
But as Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher explained, he began to differentiate himself by announcing his retirement and indicating he was at peace with the decision to walk away from the game. The move stands in stark contrast to the indecisiveness Jordan showed while pursuing his dreams of a baseball career and again when joining the Washington Wizards.
Still, even while attempting to create some separation between himself and his predecessor, Bryant couldn't escape Jordan's shadow, and it was his own doing.
First, we had the farewell address in poetic form, which ended up being awfully reminiscent of the message Jordan penned in 2003:
Then, we had Bryant himself invoke the name of the man he modeled his entire career after.
"[Jordan] is actually one of the first people that I told over the summer," he told ESPN.com's Baxter Holmes. "We've been in frequent contact."
The comparison is only natural. It's unavoidable, just as it's been for so many years.
Different Situations
Right now, it's actually beneficial to the Los Angeles Lakers that Bryant is mired in a season-long slump, one from which he may never recover.
The franchise doesn't have any current dreams of realistically advancing to the postseason in the near future, and bottoming out...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
