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The 5 Moves Kobe Bryant Made that Michael Jordan Never Could

By | August 28, 2012|

Earlier today, we posted a great video of a shot by shot comparison between Kobe & Michael. Of course, the debate then turned into Kobe vs. Michael because that’s what always happens, so I decided to take a different look on the debate. I’m not saying Michael doesn’t have the ability to do these moves, but just like how Kobe couldn’t go back to the past, Michael is unable to join the present.

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Since Kobe Bryant has come into the league, each of his critics have made it a point to say that Kobe Bryant will never be able to do what Michael Jordan has done. The question I asked on Twitter was “what move has Kobe done that MJ never did?”

Here are the top ones with an honorable mention:

5a. The Left Handed 3 pointer [Due to popular demand. This was added late]

5. The Reverse Pivot Jumper

4. Pass Off the Backboard to himself for Dunk

Next: The Top 3 Moves

Pages: 1 2

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About the author

Gary Lee

Gary is the founder & owner of LakersNation.com. Gary was born and raised in Southern California and works in the world of sports and entertainment. Follow Gary on Twitter @MrGaryLee.

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  • Egjsixthree

    sick, just sick……..

  • http://www.facebook.com/superiocco Pablo Iocco

    Kobe when hit 12 3 pointers in a game, make more 3 pointers than jordan made in the WHOLE SEASON of his first MVP

  • http://www.facebook.com/hector.valenzuela.3538 Hector Valenzuela

    HATERS STFU! THE KOBE’S THE GREATEST LAKER OF ALL-TIME N JORDAN’S THE GREATEST BULL OF ALL-TIME. IF YOU’RE WONDER WHY PEOPLE SAY JORDAN’S TEH G.O.A.T. WELL IT’S BECUZ HE DID IT B4 ANYONE THE WAY HE DID IT!! N THEY SAY THAT KOBE JUST REPEATED JORDAN’S MOVES BUT 2 DUPLICATE OR EMULATE SOMEONE LIKE JORDAN TAKES JUST AS MUCH AS BEING THAT GREAT! JORDAN NEVER DROPPED 81 OR HIT 12 3′S IN A GAME LIKE KOBE BUT U DON’T HEAR ANYONE SAYING SHIT BOUT THAT HUH? N FOR EVERYONE WHO SAYS KOBE SUX YA’LL MUST HAVE NEVER WATCHED BASKETBALL!! JUST CUZ IM A KOBE FAN DOESN’T MEAN IMMA LIE N SAY LEBRON SUX OR MELO OR KD. I RESPECT EM CAUSE THEY BRING UNIQUE STYLES TO THE GAME! LEBRON’S OVER POWERING N RIDUCLOUSLY ATHELETIC WELL MELO’S A SCORING MACHINE N DOMINATES WIT HIS LOW POST GAME N GETTIN 2 THE LINE, N KD IS ATHLETIC BUT SUPER LENGTHY N CAN SHOOT FROM ANYWHERE! SO APPRECIATE KOBE’S GAME CAUSE HE SCORES FROM 3, MID RANGE, PUMP FAKES, UP N UNDERS, IN THE POST, FADEWAYS, HOOKS, N MUCH MORE HE IS THE MOST COMPLETE OFFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE NBA N IF U DON’T KNOW THAT WELL U BETTER HAVE BEING IN A CAVE FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS! NOW GO WATCH SOME BASKETBALL B4 YOU GET BACK ON FB 2 COMMENT STUPIDITY!

    • Wandamurphy11

      Hector u said it all..real talk. that about sums it up

    • Wicked1ju

      calm down bro, then you must have not seen the kind of Defense Jordan went through! hand checks haven’t been around the last 15 years, these days, you breathe on anybody let alone a superstar like Kobe their out shooting free throws. I gave Kobe props for his 81 pts. but, was there anybody close to the type of defender from the Raptors like Larry Nance, Ron Harper, Craig Ehlo, Brad Daugherty, Hot Rod Williams? when Jordan scored 69 pts on them? Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale? when he scored 63 pts on them? overtime or no overtime that’s tough to do with the kind of Defense back then. would Kobe average 30+ against the Bad Boys of Detroit? how would Kobe fair against these names Alvin Harper, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Oakley, John Starks, Bill Cartwright, Mason, Buck Williams, Herb Williams, Larry Johnson,(Knicks) Alonzo Mourning,PJ Brown,Dan Majerle, Kurt Thomas,( Heat) Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Derrick McKey, Rick Smits, Mark West,(Pacers) Ty Corbin, Dikembe Matumbo (Hawks). let me stop there, and that’s just to name a few. West teams are not ebven mentioned! or did you even know those players I just mentioned? those are really some nasty and physical defenders that Jordan faced night in night out. did you even remember when Jordan came back when he was 38 or 39? and was able to score and average over 20+ a game at will? cause that’s the kind of Defense there is now! 

      • Traviegibson

        Did u take anything in that he just said? Theres some things kobe did that mj didn’t and vice versa. Kobe scored or dunked on every star in the league from 96-present. Jordan did it in his era. Kobes doin it now

      • Joshuameamea

        Aight first of all Kobe is Kobe n’ no one will ever achieve the greatness he has. Kobe isn’t even done yet n’ he’s passin’ err’body in da hall of fame one by one. Dnt get me wrong Jordan is the sh*t but Kobe is on his own level. &your sayin’ that da league has no defense? Shii watch da Lakers dis year boi you’ll be seeing defense! I hate Lebron but he’s a beast n’ I dnt think Jordan would be able to stop him either &he got his ankles broken from AI! Haha dnt tell me SH*T!!!

        LAKER NATION MUTHAF*KAHS

      • Thomas-klein

        If hand checking was soooo successful at stopping people, we would have seen a clean line in stats differencing the two periods, but we don’t, if fact, there is very little difference, so your contention that it’s sooo much easier to score now is bogus.

  • Dudicul

    great but reverse pivot jumper is a travel

    • Demarko Neely

      No it was not a travel.. What basketball rules have you been reading? He stopped his dribble and planted his left foot first therefore establishing that as his pivot foot, right foot then landed, he pump faked, and then reversed. So STFU

    • http://coachdesignz.wordpress.com/ Jay Dayuday

      huh?
      LBJ’s crab walk is a travel.

      • Thomas-klein

        Crab dribble, I had almost forgot about that, the things they let the ” chosen one” get away with is comical. Lebronze, travels more than circus Vargas.

  • Jo-Ed

    Hellow,these moves can be done by a college basketball player.

    • Laker

      shut up and post a vid

    • http://coachdesignz.wordpress.com/ Jay Dayuday

      college basketball player vs. kindergarten on a 3 ft. tall rim.
      You can’t even handle a ball jo-ed, so STFU and go FYS

  • Wicked1ju

    but all those moves are not he’s usual moves as the whole comparison is about. it’s the moves that they have on their normal arsenal are what’s being compared to. 

  • Nelsonku

    What a joke.  Should be re-named “Moves that Jordan didnt ATTEMPT”  Never could, what a joke.  Shit load of moves that Jordan did that i havent seen Kobe re-produce.

  • Kjellson Mandela

    I can’t believe this didn’t make the list… As good as MJ was, there has never been anyone that can make the ridiculous fade-away shots (while often being fouled) Kobe makes. On this topic, Jordan’s not even close, no one is.  Also don’t forget although defense in Jordan’s era was perhaps more physical, they didn’t allow zone defense.  People always use the argument that the defense of this era is not as “strong as it was back then.  I’ve seen mutiple defenders defending kobe, up to 4, even 5 players, and he still gets his shot to go.  Jordan never had to wrry about that and if you consider this, it’s easier to see how Jordan got the stats he has.  If you base your judgement on statistics, Jordan is clearly the more dominant player… However this is not how it works.  It’s just, Jordan globalised the nba and that’s why some peope will think of him as the best ever, never to be surpassed by anyone… This, of course, is just bullsh*t.  Give credit where it’s due, Kobe is imo the most skilled and most motivated the nba has ever seen (he’s arguably one of the most dedicated and best athletes this world has ever seen.  I mean, this guy is just insanely obsessed with what he does, it’s hard to top that and other athletes know this. This is why many of them agree Kobe is better than jordan.  Jordan was a freak of nature in his era, kobe does’nt really have phisical advantages, yet still he manages to do what he does and still on an extreme high level…When it’s all said and done, slowly people will start realising just how good this guy actually was… He’s a beast, out of this world!  Magic Johnson is my here, but Kobe is the best player we’ve ever seen!

  • Jay Japsay

    I love both players.. But i have read a page here before about mj vs kobe. Mj has better accuracy in clutch shots than kobe..

  • http://coachdesignz.wordpress.com/ Jay Dayuday

    Some of it aren’t “moves”.

  • http://coachdesignz.wordpress.com/ Jay Dayuday

    Skills and achievement-wise, both players are the best. They are the GOAT. 1 & 2, whoever comes first.
    What really makes them the best is the determination to win games, heart of a champion. 
    Great players will always take the last shot.
    Big gap to good players from the GREATEST two of all time.

  • Thomas-klein

    When all is said and done, Kobe is going to have 7 titles, and Jordan 6, nothing else matters.

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