Why was Michael Jordan so adored by fans but Kobe now so hated by NBA fans?

Question

Sure Kobe was charged (but not convicted) of a sex crime, but MJ had his issues as well - a gambler, adulterer etc.

Both are very marketable, both have rings, both are articulate, both are driven, both are filthy-talented, both good looking. What's the difference?

Answer 1

The reason why people hate Kobe Bryant does not have much to do with his talent as compared to the things he say and the controversy he causes. MJ was the considered the best during his playing days and there are those who disliked him but they still respected him enough, even though they may considered their idols, Magic Johnson or Larry Bird to be better players. Whenever a situation occurs, Kobe always says something that would make the situation worse. MJ knew better and always kept his mouth shut because he didn't want any negative publicity. Everyone has faults and skeletons in their closets but if the media doesn't know about it, no one gets hurt. I'll give you a few example of the things Kobe does that tarnishes him image even more.


Strike 1

When Kobe and Shaq played together in L.A., they were cool but I'm pretty sure they had problems on the inside that was never discussed. Shaq had a problem with Kobe launching more shots and not sharing the ball. Shaq complained about it. Instead of lessening the tension by sitting down and having a 1-on-1 talk behind close doors to resolve the problem, Kobe blew up to the media by talking about Shaq's weight problem and his tendency to skip games because of a minor toe injury. He made Shaq lose face and their relationship could never be saved. Granted, Shaq should have approached Kobe about his tendency to shoot more than pass it inside but 2 wrong does not make a right. You destroy the chemistry and morals of the team when you openly embarrass your teammate in front of the media like that.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2003/10/28/bryant031028.html


Strike 2

The rape case in Colorado. If Kobe would have came straight out and admitted his fault from the beginning instead of letting the evidence come out, he would have saved himself from being posed as a liar. Instead, he played it off like Michael Vick and denied the allegations until he had no choice but to admit that he committed adultery.


http://www.e-sports.com/articles/793/1/Sticks-and-stones/Page1.html


"Kobe deceived all of his fans and the media. His once "clean-cut" image was simply a facade. When the rape allegations first leaked out, he completely denied that he was even with any other woman. He went so far as saying, "You know me," assuming that everyone perceived him as the young, all-American NBA superstar who does not get into any trouble outside of the basketball court. In other words, people thought of him as a model citizen. He was also considered as a person whom all young, aspiring basketball players could look up to.

Those perceptions could not be further from the truth. Kobe eventually admitted to committing adultery, but did not rape the accuser -- allegedly. "


Strike 3

During his trial instance in Colorado, Kobe made a statement that got out the media (not sure if he made it to the media or not) that if he would have done what Shaq did and paid off the whores, he would never be in this situation. By doing that, Kobe basically dragged Shaq's reputation down with him.


http://blog.sportscolumn.com/tag/sex


This was never proven and where was it Kobe's place to say things about other players. Shaq responded with fury to Kobe's accusation. My point is, why would you drag another person, not to mention a former teammate into your mess if you were such a noble human being? You don't see Magic Johnson or Wilt Chamberlin dragging teammates into the same situation when they were found guilty of adultery.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6134411


Strike 4

The year after Gary Payton and Karl Malone joined the Lakers, Kobe went on air to make state about Karl Malone that caused him not to return to the Lakers the following year. Malone was thinking about coming back until Kobe said,

"it's not really fair to hold (Malone's status) over the guys' heads that are here. You can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he's going to come back."


http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411317/463358


This statement pissed off the Mailman so he decided not to return to the Lakers. When Kobe was confronted with his statement as the reason why the Lakers were losing a Hall of Fame power forward, instead of manning up to his mistakes and admitting what he sad may have been premature - he started a rumor mill about Karl Malone making passes at his wife. I mean, C'mon now. The Mailman is a 19 year veteran who respects Kobe a great deal to know who was the franchise player on the team so why would he stoop to such level? Everytime Kobe tries to deny an accusation, he makes the situation worse just like this one, by making unproven allegations.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6703149


Strike 5

A few years after getting the Lakers to commit to Kobe and trading away Shaq, this past summer, he goes to the media and bashes Lakers management and his teammates (Andrew Bynum). There have been rumors of a video tape specifying what Kobe said. Kobe apologized later for his conduct but what's done is done and the damage has already been engraved in stone. How Kobe's teammates and Andrew Bynum respond to his presence on the court next season remains to be seen.


Here is a little more research displaying how Kobe has tarnished him image in more ways than enhanced it.


"KOBE’S WAY:

1. Embarrassed himself and cost Del Harris his job by recklessly shooting air ball after air ball against Utah in the playoffs.

2. Ran Eddie Jones & Nick Van Excell out of town.

3. Battled with teammates through three championships polarizing the club into two camps (Kobe, and his kiss up friend Rick Fox, and the rest of the Lakers in Shaq’s camp).

4. In 2004, forced the franchise to trade the most dominate player (and most un-tradable in terms of reciprocity) ever. BTW – any idiot Laker fan who sites this being a Buss/Kupchak decision is an imbecile.

5. Kobe ran off Karl Malone after publicly accusing him of making passes at his wife.

6. Shaq was gone to Miami, but when the police arrested him in Colorado and questioned him, Kobe actually brought up Shaq’s name and said “Shaq does this all the time, he just pay’s them off”. Wow – how’s that for maturity.

7. All the while he was fighting Rape charges in Colorado, the fans myopically stood by him, and the obtuse organization actually allowed him to use their private jet so he could be in court at 8 am and on the court by 7:35 pm. I remember local stations tracking his ware bouts on the freeways prior to games – al la OJ. On a side note. Let me just get this straight. The NFL wants to suspend Michael Vick on the allegations alone for Dog Fighting and Kobe was not only allowed to play during his rape case, but cheered gleefully by fans. Nice priorities America.

8. On the court Kobe constantly dribbles himself into bad situations like triple teams, he does not get the young players involved and never, never looks to pass into the post (Remember the battles with Shaq and passing into the post?).

9. After being the good company man saying it is a young team and they are growing etc, etc, now he is demanding a trade. Yeah Kobe, it just isn’t as easy without the supporting cast you ran out of town is it. And it must be devastating to your ego to hear your boyfriend Doug Collins doting over Lebron and Wade in the playoffs while you sit home with your wife and that 4 million dollar blood diamond you bought her after your publicly admitted to an affair.

10. So now Kobe wants out, but instead of handling it like a man and approaching Mictch Kupckak, he goes to the media."


http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?p=2102696

Answer 2

There are two reasons, I suspect.

1) gambling and adultery are not technically illegal so Michael Jordan never had his named dragged through the dirt in a court trial. Even if Kobe is indeed non-guilty and I'm not saying he is guilty at all, a great many of the public believe he simply got off by being filthy rich and being able to afford a top-notch legal team, going against an unknown white girl with no money. How could he lose? On the other hand, cops seem to have some sadistic pleasure in dragging rich black men through the dirt, and any wealthy man is a potential target for a fraudulent rape charge.... Was Michael Jackson a pedophile, or just a weird guy that never grew up and still thinks he's a kid? I don't know.

2) Michael Jordan is 10X as talented a ball-player as Kobe and that to me is the real clincher. Kobe is good. Michael is perhaps the greatest that has ever lived. Big difference. It's hard not to love a man who exemplifies true greatness. King David had a man killed just to get his wife, yet was regarded by his people as a righteous king because of the other things he did.

Answer 3

Jordan was the ultimate company man. He owned the Media. He could not be touched in a negative way by anyone because he was so money, on or off the court. Hence the Jordan Rules. Jordan Played for North Carolina he made the wining shot. He won a Gold Medal all early in his career. Nike and The NBA ADORED his clean persona and charming smile. He always said the right thing and always did the right thing. What ever he said or did Mattered. he came into the league running and never looked back. He made his team compete. His peers respected and his oponents respected him. He was and is the ultimate warrior on offense and Defense he had no weekness.
Ok now for Kobe.....well all the things that I said for Jordan do not apply for kobe. Everything was handed to Kobe form the start. Kobe never performed in college/no college experience. Never established a mature wining attitude. Kobe Bryant is not articulate he sneers at the camera does not smile. there is a difference. Kobe Talks the Talk but cant back it up. He doesent make he team better. He is self centered at the end of the game all that matters is Kobe. The NBA rolled out the red carpet to a unproven High School Kid. And all he did and continues to do is poop on it. There is no one in the league I mean No one who honestly repects anything Kobe has to say. NO ONE! When Jordan spoke it was set in stone. Jordan made his own. Kobe was made. he rode Shaq's Cape. Kobe's present situation proves just that. Shaq won without Kobe! Jordan is the Ultimate Company man, Kobe is the ultimate disgrunteled employee who I think has gone postal!(he is crazier than britney)

Answer 4

Because Kobe has let the media manipulate him where Jordan did not. Kobe is just not as polished or charismatic as Jordan is. You can see Kobe is not that comfortable sitting in front of a camera giving an interview whereas Jordan relished the spotlight off the court.

Kobe has this rep as being a selfish player and got thrown under the bus by the Lakers as the guy who ran Shaq out of town. The only thing Jordan got fingered for was running Doug Collins out of Chicago and he is not the first star player to get a coach fired and will not be the last.

Bottom line is that Jordan is just a much more charismatic individual than Kobe so we tend to forgive him more readily.

It is just like Magic got all of this sympathy when he came out and said he was HIV positive. You didn't hear anyone say well it is your own freakin' fault for sleeping around and not protecting yourself. You just heard people feeling sorry for him even though it is something he could have taken steps to prevent from happening to him.

Answer 5

I agree with everything that has been said. But I have to add the MJ nver tried to rip the team apart, when they were winning. He was the leader of the team and he had a great number two in Scottie Pippen. They played well together. Kobe was a part of the reason the great Lakers were destroied. If he had let that team go on he would be the leader of a good Laker team righ now. But he wanted to be the man, so know he is the man.

Remember "Becarful what you wish for"

Answer 6

My main issue with Kobe is the whining, which as far as I remember, Jordan never did. Kobe never seems to be happy with his situation, whether it's with Shaq, Phil, management, teammates, Los Angeles, etc. He always finds something to whine about.

Edit: Kobe is an amazing basketball player and a lot closer in talent and drive to Jordan than I think most people will admit, and I would love to have him on my team, but I don't think he would ever be happy unless he's getting a ring every year, AND is getting all the credit for it.

Answer 7

Trust me M.J. was not adored by everyone. He faced alot of criticism just not as devastating as the things Kobe has done. Most of the things were sports related (Like when he went to play baseball). Jordan for the most part was and is a classy guy.
For Kobe,
The rape case instantly makes him look bad even though he wasn't convicted he is a married man.
The whole Shaq and Kobe thing split alot of opinions.
His 81 points scored in a game made alot of people believe he isn't a team player (M.J. suffered the same label from alot of people back in the day)
And his flip flopping with the Lakers is making people even more mad.
I think all of those things along with his attitude kind of make him disliked. I for one think the Kobe and Shaq thing was a shame because they could still be winning championships.

Answer 8

Maybe you should consider the fact that there really is no comparison on the court. Michael Jordan is the established GOAT, Kobe is a stat chaser who jacks up 30 shots a game and shoots worse than his team in order to get his points. Kobe also needs 25 free throws in order to score big. lol

Answer 9

Kobe has a problem with the way he expresses himself, he can come off as arrogant, self centered, cocky. Jordan had a persona, a way about him where when he talked people listened. Kobe doesn't have that....yet and I am not sure he ever will. In order to get respect you must give it.

Answer 10

MJ is such a team player and he did not praise himself and said that the team won cuase of him. And KOBE well he is a big baby, if he got blamed or not he should of just came out and set the record straight and no throw everything out of porpotion. HE is a selfish person that I does not see that thanks to the whole team they are a good team. I used to love the LAKERS but now that there is really no good players I dont like basketball anymore! Forget KOBE!

Answer 11

U never heard anything bad about Michael Jordan until after he retired, so while he played he had a spotless record. Jordan was a gentleman on and of the court, Kobe is to cocky and his a bad teammate, it is impossible to be as good as he thinks he is.