Impact On The Game

Perhaps the most significant difference between Kobe and Michael Jordan is their impact on the game itself. Kobe is the best player in the game today. However, he has not had the transcendental impact on the sport like Michael Jordan.

The NBA's stature was certainly elevated in the 1980s thanks to the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and the clashes between their two teams. However, Michael Jordan truly made the NBA a global enterprise. Jordan became the most marketable athlete in the world and changed the way athletes and sponsorships mix.

Kobe is a great, all-time player when it comes to on the court skill, but his lasting impact on the game will never match that of MJ.