Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan are considered to be two of the best basketball players of all time. During their respective careers, they displayed a tremendous amount of competitiveness and consistently got under the skin of their opponents. Unfortunately, Bryant recently passed away in a helicopter crash and the basketball world is still mourning. Numerous incredible stories about Bryant have surfaced over the last couple of months and the latest comes courtesy of Chicago Bulls writer, Sam Smith.

During a AMA, Smith explained how Bryant and Jordan had a get-together in 2005 and it led to a challenge that both players never forgot. Even in his retired state, Jordan couldn’t resist the challenge Bryant was presenting him with.

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Per Smith:

“One of my favorite stories ever, which was more about Kobe, which was MJ and Kobe weren’t close, and Phil Jackson (coaching the Lakers) invited Michael to meet Kobe and talk to him a little bit. They arranged for a suite at the arena. Michael was there with Phil and Jerry West – this was after he retired from the Wizards so it’d be about 2005, maybe. Kobe walks in and challenges Michael to a game and tells him to put on a uniform and go down to the court and that he would kick his ass. Michael of course was out of shape and not at his playing weight, sitting smoking a cigar despite the no-smoking rule in the arena. And of course, Michael was ready to go. They didn’t wind up playing, but the fire flared up.

They shared a competitiveness that’s been unseen by anybody else in the last 15 years.”

Stories like this one will certainly help put a smile on your face in these uncertain times. With no basketball on TV, these little anecdotes provide a nice diversion from everything else.

[Via]