Kobe Bryant: How Black Mamba Has Already Proven He's the New Michael Jordan

At some point, we all agreed that Michael Jordan was the best of all time and the search for the next to fill his shoes was on.

Kobe Bryant has been wearing them for years. 

It's time to call off the search and get back inside to watch some basketball. Kobe Bryant is the best in the game and the only man to play when others would rather sit in a suit with injury. 

You want Jordan-esque feats? They're playing live at the Staples Center. The Black Mamba has met the only criteria that defines the heir apparent, and that's a passion to win at all costs. 

Let's start with a comparison, served third person from author Roland Lazenby. He wrote Mad Game, The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant and was tasked with answering claims that Bryant was Jordan's equal. He tweeted in kind. 

We have thumbed through the forever running Rolodex of usual suspects and found that Jordan is correct—Bryant is the only one who measures up. 

Many will take LeBron James and his 27.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7 assists per game. When you're measuring the best of all time, you have to near the 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists he finished his career with. 

How much do we weigh intangibles? We just witnessed a period of a few months where the nation was willing to label a subpar quarterback as a proven winner in Tim Tebow. Can we then forgive Bryant for a few seasons of maturing out of high school?

Since that time, Bryant has been the best scorer in the NBA—a player able to get any shot he wants and a devastating one-on-one player. 

But this isn't where Jordan is coming from. Air Jordan was comparing the work that was put in—the constant sacrifice that only the truly great can speak to. 

Bryant has long been known to kill himself in the gym, wasting weeks in the offseason to condition himself and add another level to his game. 

That's sacrifice enough, but there are also the injuries that will no doubt cause him pain long after he hangs up the sneakers. 

Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register wrote the following back in June. 

"

The middle knuckle on that critical finger on Bryant's shooting hand is so debilitated by arthritis after the past season of misuse and overuse that there may be no real way to fix it. Bryant will consult with specialists in July to figure out his options, but arthritis is not a problem that can just be cleaned up with arthroscopic surgery or wished away with a little rest.

"

Derrick Rose sat out a game with a toe jam that was no doubt painful, and Chris Paul is resting a hamstring. None of these are injuries that should be played on, but neither is a wrist that has a torn ligament in it. 

The injury to Kobe Bryant's shooting hand that was supposed to keep him out a few weeks was ignored by the Mamba instead. He played instead of sitting, and that's just what the truly legendary do. 

The search continues for the next Michael Jordan, but it's now time to measure the current crop to Kobe Bryant. 

Michael Jordan was wired differently. He carried a chip on his shoulder that always had him proving that he could outdo anyone on the court. That kept him honing and refining a game that was already near perfect. 

The only player who can match that intensity of passion is Kobe Bryant.

He has the titles, the talent and the proven record of playing when others would rather watch from the sidelines. 

Forget Jordan, who's the next Kobe Bryant?

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