Kobe says Jordan was 'like a big brother,' will be proud to pass him on scoring list

For anyone who thought the relationship between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant may have been contentious, they have another thing coming.

Bryant opened up about his relationship with Jordan in an interview with Bleacher Report published Wednesday, discussing a number of angles. The impetus for the discussion, of course, is that Bryant is closing in on Jordan for third on the NBA's all-time scoring list, something he'll likely achieve by the end of the calendar year.

"Nineteen years is a long time to be playing, and I've had a different career path than Michael," Bryant said of taking more games than Jordan to reach his point total. "It has been a hell of a marathon. I'm really proudest of that."

Bryant's correct that his has been a marathon pursuit, as Jordan averaged nearly five points a game more but played nearly 200 fewer games than Bryant has to date.

It's never been a secret that Bryant's career was heavily influenced by Jordan. Many of his offensive moves are derivatives of Jordan's, their on-court demeanors are similar, Bryant is said to crave a sixth NBA championship ring to catch Jordan and so on. 

Jordan also had a personal influence on Bryant as a young player.

"We hit it off very well," Bryant said. "He was really like a big brother, and whether it's because we see things in a similar way in terms of our competitive spirit or fire or whatever the case may be, there's an understanding that we have, a connection that we have."

Whenever Bryant passes Jordan, it's sure to bring up another round of the classic Jordan-or-Kobe debate, a comparison Bryant welcomes.