For some reason the media, and we fans acting as their pawns, seem desperate to identify the next Michael Jordan. We are so desperate, that we endlessly compare every new backcourt star in the NBA to Mike. Heck, we even jump to compare non-stars who have proven that they possess nothing but a good vertical (see: Harold Minor). Mind you, this is all coming only 5 years after His Airness’ 3rd and final retirement. I guess I just don’t really understand the compulsion to find the next Jordan. Is he missed that much? Possibly. Or perhaps instead of missing Michael specifically, we just miss having that transcendent superstar in whom we can all sit and watch in awe. Either way, I think that it’s time to stop all the comparisons, and I think we should stop them right now…cold turkey. Hey, hey, calm down! I never said it was going to be easy, and I’m sorry I can’t offer you a patch or some gum to aid the process. Tell you what I’ll do. In an attempt to show you how ridiculous this all is, I’ll offer you one final fix; one final binge; one final comparison to MJ (cue the music).

Now, if there were any case to be made for any player since Jordan to be compared to him, it would obviously be Kobe Bryant. He’s the best player on the planet today. Michael Jordan is the best player on the planet ever. They both play(ed) the same position, etc. etc. (Now, I’m fully aware that Kobe still has several good years ahead of him, and in those years he could go on to inch himself ahead of Jordan to be the best player of all time. I’m okay with that. It just doesn’t seem likely). Therefore, let’s break it down, shall we.

Stats (per game career averages) and Awards:

Kobe: Points – 25. Rebounds – 5.3. Assists – 4.6. Steals – 1.5. FG% – .453.

10 time All-Star (every year but rookie year)

2 time All-Star MVP

6 time All-NBA 1st team

6 time All-NBA defensive 1st team

1 time league MVP

3 NBA championships (could be 4 this year, but unlikely to be)

Mike: Points – 30.1. Rebounds – 6.2. Assists – 5.3. Steals – 2.4. FG% – .497.

14 time All-Star (every year but 1995 where he only played 17 games)

3 time All-Star MVP

10 time All-NBA 1st team

9 time All-NBA defensive 1st team

1 time defensive player of the year

5 time league MVP

6 NBA championships

A quick glance at those numbers gives Jordan the clear advantage. Delving deeper into some of them, though, puts him ahead by a sizeable margin. Allow me.

MJ averaged 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and shot 4 percentage points better than Kobe over his career. This isn’t a staggeringly huge difference until you consider that Mike did all this before David Stern instituted a number of defensive rule changes (such as no hand checking) in an attempt to increase scoring league-wide. Does no one remember the Pistons – Bulls series from the early 90′s, or the Knicks – Bulls series from the late 90′s? Jordan was thrown around like a rag doll by opposing teams his whole career, and yet he still managed to drop over 30 a game shooting almost 50% from the field for over 14 years (and yes, that includes the last two seasons in Washington)! As someone who’s favorite team was a rival of Michael’s Bulls, I shutter to think at how unstoppable he would have been in today’s “no-touching-on-defense-allowed” era.

Jordan won 6 championships in 8 years, and the only reason he didn’t win 8 out of 8 is because he inexplicably decided to play minor league baseball in 94 and 95 (insert your favorite conspiracy theory here). Not only that, but Jordan won all of these championships with the next best player on his team being Scottie Pippen. Kobe won his three championships with Shaq. I’m not trying to take anything away from Scottie, but he isn’t in the same ballpark as Shaq. Check this out: I was watching ESPN Classic the other day, and they were showing a game from the 98 Finals. The Bulls’ starting lineup was Jordan, Pippen, Luc Longley, Ron Harper, and Toni Kukoc. Seriously, and they beat the Jazz handily…a Jazz team with two of the greatest players ever in Stockton and Malone! Of course, Kobe and Shaq did beat the Pacers once and the Nets twice (please note the sarcasm)…not bad teams, but Jason Kidd and Reggie Miller combined don’t equal a Malone or a Stockton.

All of that aside, Jordan was simply a stone-cold killer who treated a regular season game in January against the Hawks no different than game 7 of the NBA Finals. How else could the 96 Bulls have won a ridiculous 72 games? How else could Jordan have retired then decide to come back and win another 3 championships? Look, all great players have an edge to them, a uber-competitiveness, an almost dangerously strong inner drive to win at all costs. Kobe has this to a degree, but nobody I’ve ever seen had it like Jordan. This is what, on top of all the stats, awards, championships, and glory, sets him apart from Kobe and all who came before him. He just absolutely refused to lose. Refused. Was there ever any doubt watching those 90′s Bulls teams that they wouldn’t win it all? There never was in my mind; but more importantly, there never was in Jordan’s mind. Remember the flu game where he dropped 38 on the Jazz? Michael Jordan was an assassin that would tear your heart out and stomp on it in front of you. He wouldn’t have thrown up stinkers like Kobe’s 2004 Finals or game 7 against the Suns in 2006. He would have found a way to win. He always did. Every night.

Maybe it’s too hard for most folks to remember, or maybe a lot of people are just too young to properly remember. I don’t know what it is, but anyone who does remember watching Michael Jordan in his prime knows without a doubt that he was and still is in a category of greatness all to himself. Sure, Kobe Bryant is special. Today, he is the best player in the world, and at just under 30 years old, who knows what else he may achieve before he finally hangs it up. Maybe he leads a miraculous comeback against the Celtics this year; maybe he helps the Lakers win 5 or 6 more championships; maybe he notches a few more MVP’s in his belt. Maybe he accomplishes all of these things and becomes hands down the greatest player the world has ever seen. It’s a stretch, but it’s a maybe. I just can’t help but think, though, that if even Kobe Bryant’s chance at surpassing Jordan on the list of the all-time greats is at best a stretch to maybe…well then maybe, just maybe we should all put the comparisons to rest for a while. Maybe.