When 17-year-old Kobe Bryant displayed Michael Jordan-like attributes leaving NBA champ stunned

17-year-old Kobe Bryant played opposite Vernon Maxwell in a workout with Philadelphia 76ers players before the draft.

When 17-year-old Kobe Bryant displayed Michael Jordan-like attributes leaving NBA champ stunned

Kobe Bryant reminded Vernon Maxwell of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan established the epitome of a what a great basketball player should be. Many have come and gone, but few have managed to come close to the dominating assassin that he was. One name did come very close, and that was the late great Kobe Bryant.

His style of play was eerily similar to Jordan’s, and he confirmed that he had studied the Chicago Bulls legend. But what he could not study from video tapes was the mindset. Instead, he developed that killer mindset that eventually became popularly known as the Mamba mentality.

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It was not as if the legend took time to develop that mindset. Rather, there are tales of a young Bryant who used to embarrass others even when he was just entering the NBA. But prior to that, as a high schooler, he managed to shock some NBA veterans.

That mother f***ing came and pulled up on, and I said, ‘Oh, this little motherf***er is for real.’ Yeah, I said I got to really strap up and check this motherf***er. This motherf***er play just like Mike 

Vernon Maxwell said

This was Vernon Maxwell, a two-time NBA champion who was one of the better defenders in the league. He told Matt Barnes while on All the Smoke podcast that high schooler Kobe Bryant made him and other Philadelphia 76ers stars look bad. That performance reminded Maxwell of Michael Jordan.

Vernon Maxwell advises Kobe Bryant to skip college

That scrimmage was setup by then Philadelphia 76ers head coach John Lucas who was doing his friend, Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, a favor. This scrimmage though, proved to Vernon Maxwell that the 17-year-old high schooler was ready. After the scrimmage, Maxwell pulled Kobe Bryant over and told him.

That’s when I told Kobe Bean Bryant. I said, ‘Kobe, I want to tell you something, son. Man, don’t you touch no college fork. You ready man. I’m one of the better defenders in this motherf***er, and the way you did me today, man. I know I play. Come on and get your money.

Vernon Maxwell said

His performances were such that the now 59-year-old did not find it sensible for a young Bryant to not waste his time in college. Since he embarrassed some NBA stars, he was good enough to enter the league.

It is not known if Kobe Bryant acted upon Vernon Maxwell’s words alone. But he did end up entering the 1996 NBA Draft and was selected No. 13 overall by the Charlotte Hornets. His time with the Hornets did not last long as he was instantly sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade that defined NBA history.

Kobe Bryant tried out for few teams before becoming a Laker

Before entering the draft, there were question marks surrounding Kobe Bryant. The primary one was if he was ready to take on the vigor’s of the NBA. He was a high schooler on a much simpler schedule, whereas the NBA was a grind.

But scouts held him high enough that a few teams invited him for workouts. The Los Angeles Lakers were one of them for whom he worked out once. The workout mentioned above was also his only one with the Philadelphia 76ers. Other than that, he worked out with the New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns twice.

There was one more workout, the one with the Boston Celtics. They were high on him but went for one of the ‘Super Six of ’96’, Antoine Walker. The Celtics felt Walker was a pro ready player who could help them improve from their 33-win season.

They believed Bryant would need time whereas their needs were immediate. That and the Lakers’ utmost secrecy regarding their interest saw the 17-year-old drop to No. 13. There, they had the Charlotte Hornets ready to draft Bryant as part of their predetermined trade. The rest is history.