Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has revealed that he wanted to leave the franchise over a decade ago in order to play alongside Michael Jordan.
After a successful career with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan spent time in Washington where he was winding down his career with the Wizards, and Bryant came close to joining him.
"That's true, A long time ago? Yeah," Bryant told the Washington Post.
"I've always been very big on having mentors, on having muses, being around guys who have done it before and done it at a high level and always tried to pick their brains and always tried to absorb knowledge. Obviously, being in that situation [with the Wizards], it would've helped having to be around him every day and so on."
The possibility of Bryant and Jordan playing on the same team ultimately fell apart when then-Wizards owner Abe Pollin parted ways with Jordan in 2003, a year before Bryant became a free agent.
Bryant added that another factor in his decision to stay with the Lakers was to prove that he was capable of dominating without long-time teammate Shaquille O'Neal on the roster.
Sumeet Paul
