Reggie Miller. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – A rival will always pay his respects to a rival.
When Kobe Bryant passed Michael Jordan for number three in the NBA all-time scoring list, people were singing praises to the Black Mamba, but another shooting guard would not join the chorus.
In a report from Sports Illustrated, Reggie Miller said that Jordan was still harder guard on his worst day than Bryant on his best.
Miller said that “no question” His Royal Airness was the better.
“Michael Jordan on his worst day is 10 times better than Kobe Bryant on his best day,” Miller said while speaking to Dan Patrick.
“And that is not short-changing Kobe Bryant.”
On Monday, Bryant surpassed Jordan on the scoring list while playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bryant has 32,331 points compared to Jordan’s 32,292.
Scrunching up the numbers, though, would back Miller’s claims.
Miller, who was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, matched up against Bryant in the regular season 15 times and 49 times against Jordan.
Of all the games they played against, Jordan averaged 29.5 points and Bryant managed 22.2 points.
Miller had memorable duels against Jordan in the ’90s with his most memorable moment coming in the 1998 playoffs when he pushed Jordan before hitting a game-winner for the Indiana Pacers against Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.
Also, Jordan has career averages of 30.1 points, the best in NBA history, across 1,072 games in 15 seasons.
Bryant on the other hand has career averages of 25.5 points across 1,270 games in 18 seasons.