When Michael Jordan Showed Kobe Bryant Who Is The Boss

Two of basketball's greatest legends clashed with the world cheering on as Kobe Bryant took on Michael Jordan in the legendary 1998 NBA All-Star game.

By Natasha Bose

Published on Jul 15, 2024 | 04:56 PM IST | 106.6K

When Michael Jordan Showed Kobe Bryant Who Is The Boss

In this Article

The youngest all-star, Kobe Bryant
Then, there was Michael Jordan
Before all that, there was the All-Star Game

On February 8, 1998, 19-year-old Kobe Bryant and 34-year-old Michael Jordan faced off at Madison Square Garden. This game would be remembered not only as a clash between two basketball legends but also as a symbolic "passing of the torch" moment.

Michael Jordan, with a smile, showed everyone he was still the boss.

For Kobe Bryant, playing against Michael Jordan for the first time was the biggest day of his life and career. For Michael Jordan, it was just another Tuesday. Let's revisit this legendary battle.

The youngest all-star, Kobe Bryant

The 1997-98 season was Kobe's second in the NBA. In his first season, he mostly came off the bench behind Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel but participated in the 1997 Rookie Challenge and the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend.

After a tough rookie season, known for the two airballs he shot in the final minute against Utah in the NBA Playoffs, Kobe came back stronger for his second year. Even though he still came off the bench with Eddie Jones as the starting wingman, Kobe made the most of his 26 minutes per game, averaging 15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

Kobe's sophomore season marked his rise to superstardom in the NBA. He earned a spot in the 1998 All-Star Game in New York City, becoming the youngest All-Star in NBA history at 19 years and 169 days old. He also became the league's youngest dunk champion at 18, showing off the confidence that would become his trademark.

Then, there was Michael Jordan

In 1998, Michael Jordan was at one of the highest points of his career. He and the Bulls had won their fifth championship the previous season, defeating the Jazz in a series that included "the Flu Game" and a famous Jordan buzzer-beater in Game 1.

During the 1997-98 season, known as Jordan's "last dance" with the Bulls, he averaged a league-leading 28.7 points per game. This wasn't even among his top eight seasons in scoring, but it was enough to earn him a fifth MVP award.

The Bulls went on to win their sixth ring in 1998, with Jordan scoring 45 points in Game 6 against the Jazz to clinch the series. His last shot for Chicago was a clutch jumper that secured the victory in front of a stunned crowd in Salt Lake City.

Before all that, there was the All-Star Game

Kobe was making his All-Star debut, while Jordan was playing in his 12th All-Star Game. It would be Jordan's last All-Star appearance as a Bull, though he would play in the game twice more as a Wizard.

Jordan almost missed the game due to the flu. "If it were Saturday I would not have played," Jordan said. "I had a hard time sitting up. I got up and moved around a little bit this morning."

The two had faced off four times before; twice in Kobe's rookie season and twice in the 1997-98 season. They had played each other just a week before the 1998 All-Star Game, with Bryant's Lakers beating Jordan's Bulls 112-87. MJ scored 31 points in that game, 11 more than Kobe's 20.

During the 1997-98 season, Kobe and Jordan's relationship grew closer. Kobe scored 33 points in a loss to Chicago earlier that season, impressing Jordan. Jordan told Kobe he could reach out for advice, which Kobe did. A lot.

"At times, I thought, 'Why am I giving away all this information that he’s going to use right against me?'" Jordan told The Ringer's Jackie MacMullan. "No matter how I’d start the conversation, he knew the answer. It wasn’t like I was telling him anything that he didn’t know. I think I was more or less confirming it."

Jordan knew he was becoming a mentor to Bryant but also knew that meant the competitive young star would go after him. He even talked some trash about "that little Laker boy" before the game.

"He was going to come after me. And I told everybody, I said, ‘Look, I know this young kid is going to come at me from L.A., he’s gonna come at me—and I’m not going to hold back," Jordan said. "So in that sense, I feel like I got to protect something. Sure enough, in the game, it was that competition. It was almost like looking in a mirror, in a sense, that, you know—why would I want to play anything less? Why would I want to play anyone less? I want to go at someone who I feel like I respect and I want to challenge."

Jordan hit a pair of early shots to send a message that he wasn't playing around.

Jordan hit two turnarounds and Kobe said let’s get it on, per Sports Illustrated. Bryant responded by helping force a turnover with his defense on MJ, then throwing down a 360 dunk in transition.

It was fun, according to Jordan. He was trying hard to fend him off as much as he could. Even though Kobe came at him pretty early. Jordan also mentioned how he liked Kobe attitude saying, if he saw someone who was sick, he’d have attacked too.

Kobe gave it his all, but he wasn't quite ready to surpass his mentor.

Still, this game made Kobe Bryant a household name in the NBA. He would remain so for decades. For the rest of his Hall of Fame career, Bryant continued to idolize Jordan and emulate his work ethic and competitive spirit. He even perfected the turnaround jumper, a move Jordan jokingly says he regrets teaching him.