Kobe Bryant Latest News: 'The Black Mamba' Recalls Almost Being Signed By Chicago Bulls, Shuts Down 'Rivalry' With Michael Jordan
Los Angeles Lakers superstar franchise player Kobe Bryant apparently almost jumped ship to the Chicago Bulls.
"The Black Mamba," who is now 37 years old, is currently playing his 20th and final season as he plans to retire from professional basketball since he was drafted in 1996. In a report by Mike Bresnahan for the Los Angeles Times, Bryant had apparently been on the brink of leaving his long-time team after having piled up frustration over the years.
It was in 2007 that the Phoenix Suns eliminated the Lakers during the first round of the Western Conference playoffs of the said year. The report adds that Bryant had already wanted out of the team in 2004, as he almost went off to sign with the Lakers' sister team, the Los Angeles Clippers.
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But for Bryant, it was about being in a historical team, an example of which is the Chicago Bulls - a squad that once had the greatest player to ever play the game, Michael Jordan, in its roster.
"There's an unbelievable history that they have there, a special significance to me personally," Bryant said. "Growing up and watching Michael [Jordan] and Scottie [Pippen] and all those guys play, and having learned so much from watching them perform, there's so many great memories for me."
Through his early years of playing, Bryant was often compared with Jordan, given the similarities in their roles as the skippers of their team. They have a similar jump shot from the baseline, a move Jordan had patented during his years with the Chicago Bulls through the late 80's through late 90's.
Many believed that given the superstar qualities of both men, there was a brewing rivalry between them. Bryant simply shut down those rumors, saying it is the "most ridiculous thing."
"I couldn't have achieved what I achieved without him being in my corner," Bryant said of Jordan.
