Ahead of inducting Kobe Bryant into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan has taken some time to reflect on his friendship with the late NBA legend, shedding light on their final text messages between one another
โI just love [the] text because it shows Kobeโs competitive nature,โ Michael Jordan tells ESPN reporter Jackie MacMullan.
โHe was a mentally tough kid, maybe even tougher than I was. Remember, the people who followed me โ my fans โ didnโt like that he was trying to copy what I had done.โ
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โI donโt know whyโฆ but I just canโt delete it.โ
Check out the last text messages between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant below.
Kobe Bryant: This tequila is awesome [reference to MJโs Cincoro Tequila]
Michael Jordan: Thank you, my brother.
Kobe Bryant: Yes, sir. Family good?
Michael Jordan: All good. Yours?
Kobe Bryant: All good.
Michael Jordan: Happy holidays and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??! ? [reference to Kobe coaching daughter Giannaโs team]
Kobe Bryant: Ah, back at you man. Hey, coach, Iโm sitting on the bench right now and weโre blowing this team out. 45-8.
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According to MacMullan, 11 days after the exchange, Bryant learned he had been nominated for the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot entry. 49 days later, he was gone โ along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Alongside Mamba, Kevin Garnett, and Tim Duncan, the following names are scheduled to be inducted at Springfield, Massachusetts this coming weekend:
- Five-time NBA All-Star & two-time NBA championship coach Rudy Tomjanovich
- Baylor University Head Womenโs Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey
- Former Clark University, Massachusetts, & Bentley University Head Womenโs Basketball Coach Barbara Stevens
- Veteran high school basketball coach Eddie Sutton (posthumous, passed in May 2020)
- Former President of the Global Association of International Sports Federation & Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation Patrick Baumann (posthumous, passed in October 2020)
