Kobe Bryant Better than Michael Jordan?

Simply put, Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan.

Now, before you write a hateful comment full of profanity on how stupid I am, read on.

He is not more successful.

He hasn't won as many MVPs.

He hasn't won more NBA Championships.

He hasn't had a bigger economic impact.

But, he's a better player.

Man against man, athlete against athlete, Kobe is better than Michael. Now, I'm not talking about awards or championships, I'm talking about these two NBA greats as individuals, a comparison.

If you were out playing pickup basketball, and Kobe and Jordan were there, never hearing a positive or a negative word about either one, you would pick Kobe because you can tell he is the better player.

Kobe is just as good as a defender (eight-time NBA first team defense). His killer instinct is just as pronounced—he shoots, explodes and finishes just as well as Jordan. In my opinion, he is actually a better shooter than Jordan.

Also, just like his counterpart, the more pissed off he is the better he plays. Jordan was known for being clutch and I think everyone would agree Kobe is just as clutch. They don't call him the best "closer of the game" for nothing.

A few years ago, Kobe scored 50 points in four straight games, a feat that hadn't been done since Wilt Chamberlain's seven-game streak. That is something Jordan never did.

Now, for you Kobe haters, I know, I know, it's because he's a ball hog, right? However, he has averaged five or more assist in eight of his 11 seasons in the NBA. On the other hand, Jordan averaged five or more assist in nine of his 13 seasons.

Of course, the idea that Kobe is better than Jordan is as repugnant to some people as a rectal exam. Even though Kobe has proven himself under pressure countless times, he gets the A-Rod treatment.

Kobe can't please anyone. Most people consider him a bad teammate, and a coach killer. However, we seem to have selective memory when it comes to Jordan. As far as any of us know, Kobe hasn't knocked out his teammates at practice the way Jordan did with Steve Kerr and Will Perdue. They both ran off coaches—Jordan did it with Doug Collins, the same way Kobe did it with Phil Jackson, the first time.

To many, Kobe should never be forgiven for running off Shaq, but you're delusional if you think Jordan wouldn't have had an ego problem playing second fiddle to a player of Shaq's star power.

The best-player argument shouldn't be determined by personal dislike, but if you want to take it there, fine! Jordan was hardly the ideal husband, and only tabloids were brave enough to venture into his personal life. And, what about those gambling issues? If Jordan's life had been covered like Kobe's, we would have an entirely different opinion of His Airness.

Besides a different level of media scrutiny, there was definitely a difference in the level of competition during Jordan's heyday compared to now.

Yesterday's NBA player certainly was more fundamentally sound, but there's no question that today's player is bigger, stronger, and faster. When Jordan played, he was a force that could not be equaled. Jordan was guarded by the likes of John Starks and Joe Dumars, who were fine players, but weren't nearly as skilled or physically imposing as LeBron, D-Wade, Tracy McGrady, or even Vince Carter.

Name me a player in the Jordan area that came into the league with the physical strength and ability of Lebron James! He is 6'8'', 250 pounds—that's a linebacker for some NFL teams.

Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing will be among the best centers ever, but none of them affected the league the way Shaq and Tim Duncan have. There are two two-time MVPs in Kobe's own conference (Duncan and Nash)—a problem Jordan never faced during his championship runs.

When Jordan came into the league, Magic Johnson's Lakers were on the downturn of their run, and the Pistons were in the same boat. Kobe has had to deal with the Spurs dynasty.

Kobe Bryant is an all-time great player who is just as good as Jordan (not as successful), but most of us can't get beyond whether we like or dislike him as a person and recognize his accomplishments to the game.  

I want to make it clear that I am not a huge fan of either one of these guys. I just decided to write a positive, and, I would imagine, a rare story about Kobe Bryant.

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