Michael Jordan could not hold back his tears as he opened up about the many amazing memories he shared with Kobe Bryant through the years and how he often felt like he was Kobe’s big brother during Kobe’s celebration of life on Monday. Michael, who had an incredible career already solidified on the court, shared advice for then a young-Kobe who was about to embark on a history-making career of his own.
Michael also opened up about how his advice for Kobe changed through the years, how they had candid conversations about life, family, trying to be a better man, business and so much more.
“We were very close friends. Kobe is my dear friend, my little brother. Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between he and I. I just wanted to talk about Kobe. All of us have brothers and sisters, little brothers, sisters who, for whatever reason, always get your stuff, your closet, your shoes, everything. It was a nuisance — if I can say that word. But that nuisance turned into love,” Michael began.
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“Over a period of time. Just because the admiration they had for you. As big brothers big sisters. The questions, wanting to know every little detail about life they were about to embark on. He used to call me, text me, 11:30 A.M., 2:30 P.M. — 2:30 A.M., 3:00 in the morning. Talking about moves, footwork and sometimes the triangle. [Laughter] At first, it was an aggravation. [Laughter] But then it turned into a certain passion. This kid had passion like you would never know.”
“It’s an amazing thing about passion. If you love something if you have a strong passion for something, you would go to the extreme to try to understand or try to get it. I scream, coax, every you have a love for. Would go get it. Bake someone, he would go get it. Kobe Bryant was to me, and inspiration that someone truly carried about the way you place the game or the way he wanted to play the game. He wanted to be the best basketball player he could be. As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best “Big brother” I could be.”
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“To do that, you have to put up with the aggravation, late-night calls or the dumb questions. I took pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant, his just trying to be a better person. A better basketball player, we talk about business, we talked about everything. He was just trying to be a better person.”
The 57-year-old basketball star also cracked a joke, which elicited tons of laughter from the audience, about how his free-flowing tears was bound to become a meme.
“Now I’m going to have to look at another crying meme,” Jordan said as the audience laughed.
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“I told my wife I wasn’t going to do this, because I didn’t want to see myself like this for the next three years,” Jordan added, but continued that his love for Kobe meant he’d be that crying meme if it meant he could honor Kobe.
“In retirement, he seemed so happy. He found new passions and continue to give back as a coach. In this community. One partly, he was an amazing dad. Amazing husband. Who dedicated himself to his family and loved his daughters. With all his heart. Kobe never left anything on the court. I think that’s what he would want for us to do. No one knows how much time we have. That’s why we must live in the moment. We must enjoy the moment. We must reach and see and spare as much time as we can with our families and friends.”
When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died,” Michael emotionally added. “Please rest in peace, little brother.”