The debate lives on...

The Kobe Bryant v.s. Michael Jordan debate will be one for the ages. This is a argument that will never have a solid winner as long as there are die heart fans out there, but I'm just here to provide the facts and thats it...

Numbers Don't Lie.

Jordan's career stats (averages added for '85-'98):

FGM (field goals made): 148.9

FGA (field goals attempted): 299.8

3P (3-pointers made): 7.7

3PA (3-pointers attempted): 22.7

Now subtract the 3P from FGM, and 3PA from FGA and you get: 141.2 FGM / 277.1 FGA =50.9%

A career 50.9% FG from the mid-range.

Kobe's career stats (averages added for '99-'11 to match Jordan's 12 years):

FGM: 116.2

FGA: 254.8

3P: 16.7

3PA: 49.3

Now subtract Kobe's 3's from his overall field goal and you get: 99.5 FGM / 205.5 FGA = 48.4%

Between Kobe and Jordan, there is a 2.5% difference in efficiency.

Now let's take a look at their total attempts:

Jordan's career totals from '85-'98:

FGM: 10962 shots

FGA: 21686 shots

3P: 555 shots

3PA: 1670 shots

Same mathematics. Eliminate the three-pointer from the overall shots and you get: 10407 (shots made) / 20016 (shots attempted)

And now Kobe:

FGM: 8783 shots

FGA: 19256 shots

3P: 1265 shots

3PA: 3728 shots

Same math: 7518 (shots made) / 15528 (shots attempted)

So let's compare their post/mid-range game:

Jordan's field goal: 50.9%

Kobe's field goal: 48.4%

Jordan's total shots made and attempted: 10407 / 20016

Kobe's total shots made and attempted: 7518 / 15528

Already you can tell how different their games are. Kobe played a lot as a wing shooter and Jordan played closer to the rim than Kobe did. Jordan took 4500 more shots in the mid-range than Kobe.

If using the statistics, Kobe emulated Jordan's mid-range game throughout his career, it would look like this:

Kobe's FG (48.4%) x Jordan's total shot attempts (20016) = 9687

Jordan's total made (10407) - Kobe's total made (9687) = 720 shots made

Jordan would have made 720 more shots in the post and mid-range than Kobe would have, over the 12-year course.

That would amount to: 720 shots / 12 years = 60 more shots made by Jordan per year

Which would translate to: 60 shots / 82 games a year = 0.73 shots per game. Basically Kobe would have missed less than 1 shot a game than Jordan would have.

Numbers don't tell the whole story, but "numbers don't lie" is a misleading statement. The difference in efficiency is heavily influenced by Bryant's perimeter game, as well as Jordan's lack-of. Of course, this is not an article to argue who the G.O.A.T. is. Jordan was a player that can't be matched in history, but there is a huge double standard when it comes to comparing the two.

More than Basketball Players

Kobe Bryant is the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars, a national children’s charity that provides after-school programs to 72,000 inner-city kids.

Kobe Bryant has supported the following charities:

• After-School All-Stars
• Aid Still Required
• Cathy's Kids Foundation

• Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation
• Vijay Amritraj Foundation
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Michael Jordan is involved with a variety of charities including the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America, UNCF/College Fund, Special Olympics and a number of other charitable organizations that support children and families.
  
  
  Michael Jordan has supported the following charities:
  • Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America
  • CharitaBulls
  • Kids Wish Network

  • Make-A-Wish Foundation
  • Special Olympics
  
  
  
  
  
  

If you sit back and watch a highlight tape of Kobe Bryant you come across moments of Hall of Fame greatness from the likes of Oscar Robertson the way he freezes defenders and creates space, also you will see the deadly pull-up jumper he copied  from Jerry West, and lastly the newest addition to his arsenal the post-up shake-and go he learned from Hakeem Olajuwon. Kobe Bryant has incorporated these legendary moves into his game by breaking down these legends in their moments of greatness. 

A huge portion of Kobe Bryant's game came from watching and playing the likes of Michael Jordan on particular game where Kobe Bryant would learn from Michael Jordan would be the 1998 All-star game. Michael Jordan would give Kobe Bryant small lessons in the game that Kobe Bryant would come right back down the court and do the exact same thing Jordan did a play before. 

Shooting Ability and Percentage

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are known for their unstoppable scoring abilities on the basketball court. These two individuals could score from anywhere on the floor with ease. Kobe Bryant may be a far better pure shooter than Michael Jordan, but Jordan’s ability to get to the basket and finish with contact is unmatched. With this in Jordan’s arsenal he finished his career with a high field goal percentage. Jordan had the ability to make everyone else around him a major threat on the court this is still a concept that Bryant is still grasping. Bryant’s field goal percentage is low because he has led the NBA multiple times in field goal attempts.

Here is a Comparison to Field Goal percentage between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Kobe has only 7 career 50 point games or higher against top 10 rated defenses. Jordan had 22 career 50 point games or higher against top 10 rated NBA defenses.

Seasons over 32 points per game:
Michael Jordan: 5
Kobe Bryant: 1   

Regular season
Seasons under 50% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 15
Michael Jordan: 9

Seasons under 48% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 15
Michael Jordan: 5

Seasons over 50% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 0
Michael Jordan: 6

Seasons over 52% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 0
Michael Jordan: 4

Regular season
Games with under 50% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 489
Kobe Bryant: 678

Regular season
Games with under 48% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 458
Kobe Bryant: 651

Regular season
Games with under 46% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 388
Kobe Bryant: 578

Regular season
Games with under 44% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 296
Kobe Bryant: 490

Regular season
Games with under 42% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 234
Kobe Bryant: 426

Regular season
Games with under 40% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 158
Kobe Bryant: 344

Regular season
Games with under 35% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 88
Kobe Bryant: 207

Regular season
Games with under 30% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 41
Kobe Bryant: 107

Regular season
Games with 60% or better shooting:
Michael “Air” Jordan: 173
Kobe “Bean” Bryant: 129

Regular season
Games with 50% or better shooting:
Michael “Air” Jordan: 556
Kobe “Bean” Bryant: 425

Regular season
Games with 20 shots made on 60% or better shooting:
MJ: 16
Kobe: 3

Regular season
Games with 50 points & less than 10 free throw attempts:
MJ: 3
Kobe: 1

NBA Playoffs
50 point or higher games:
Kobe: 1
MJ: 8

NBA Playoffs
40 point or higher games:
Kobe: 11
MJ: 38

NBA Playoffs
30 point or higher games:
Kobe: 81
MJ: 109

Regular season & Playoffs combined
40 point or higher games:
MJ: 211
Kobe: 118

Regular season & Playoffs combined
30 point or higher games:
MJ: 671
Kobe: 441

Regular season
Games with 40 points and under 50% shooting:
MJ: 29
Kobe: 45
Yes, that’s right, almost half of Kobe’s 40 point games involved missing more shots than made ones.
Regular Season Turnovers:
Kobe: 3228 in 1103 games
MJ: 2924 in 1072 games

Regular season
50 point games with under 50% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 1 of his 31 games (15-31, 48%)
Kobe Bryant: 6 of his 24 games

Regular season
50 point games with under 45% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 0
Kobe Bryant: 3