Who's better?
Sometimes, younger fans give the nod to Bryant since they never watched Jordan play in his prime and feel that Jordan only dominated in the 1990s because the decade was watered down.
On the other hand, older fans claim Jordan is the greatest hoops player ever and that Bryant isn't even in the same galaxy because he played in a not-so-competitive era and served as a sidekick to Shaquille O'Neal for years.
Fans' opinions may differ on the subject, but everyone agrees that both players are all-time greats.
So what if Jordan and Bryant swapped eras? Imagine Kobe playing his best basketball in the '80s and '90s, while prime-MJ graces the hardwood in the 2000s.
Does Bryant lead the Chicago Bulls to six titles? Does Jordan win five rings with the Los Angeles Lakers?
Let's travel back in time.
Kobe in Chicago
A 21-year-old Bryant is selected by the Bulls with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. Unlike Jordan, who averaged 28 points per game as a rookie, Bryant puts in 20 ppg and barely loses to Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon for Rookie of the Year honors.
Bryant eventually emerges as one of the game's top scorers and makes his way onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team year-in and year-out.
With the help of trusty sidekick Scottie Pippen and legendary head coach Phil Jackson, Bryant leads the Bulls from a perennial lottery participant to a team on the rise.
Chicago meets Isiah Thomas' hard-hitting Detroit Pistons in the playoffs four straight years, but fails to break through. The "Kobe Rules" strategy never materializes since Bryant is continuously shut down by the physical "Bad Boys" defense.
The Bulls don't sniff the NBA Finals in '91, '92, or ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
