WASHINGTON >> The man studied seemingly every one of Michael Jordan’s moves. Kobe Bryant emulated Jordan’s fadeaway jumper. They showed similar on-court mannerisms. They both became obsessed with winning.
But Bryant also studied the end of Jordan’s NBA career closely. After averaging 30.1 points per game en route to five NBA MVP awards, Jordan’s scoring output in his last two seasons dipped in both 2001-02 (22.0 points) and 2002-03 (20 points).
Yet, Bryant still admired how Jordan handled his craft even as his skills declined.
“He did everything he could to prepare, much the same way he did in Chicago,” Bryant said following the Lakers’ 108-104 win over the Wizards on Wednesday at Verizon Center.