The Black Mamba was no pushover in the early years, but learning from the best takes time.
Here's a wonderful find by SLAM's Marcel Mutoni: 11 minutes of highlights featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant going one-on-one in various games.
Source: youtube.com
The first-ever challenge, Dec. 1996: MJ schools Kobe with a devastatingly quick baseline move.
Next time they met, Kobe got a little ball — with some hand — and held his own.
Barely old enough to vote, Kobe was already effective at contesting a turnaround jumpshot.
