Let’s just get this out of the way up front — Kobe Bryant is not as good as Michael Jordan. That may frustrate a handful of the Kobe apologists out there, but the fact is he is not, and that is not about ring count. Jordan was superior on the court.

But if you can compare anyone, it is Kobe. Just ask MJ.

Roland Lazenby is one of the better basketball book writers out there. His book “The Show” is maybe the best thing on the history of the Lakers, and his Jerry West biography is a brilliant study of the man. He wrote “Mad Game” about Kobe and numerous other books. He’s a friend of Tex Winter with great insight.

And he’s working on a Michael Jordan book now and has spoken to the man. Which led to this interesting couple of tweets from Lazenby recently.

Kobe’s ultimate competition is MJ. That’s why MJ watches him. MJ made people think what he was doing wasn’t human. Ditto the Kobester. I never said Kobe was better than MJ. MJ just told me Kobe’s the only one to have done the work, to deserve comparison.

MJ gets it. There have been far too many “the next Jordan” guys to come through the league, an unfair burden put on a lot of players. Kobe is the only guy with the will and the skill to even come close. Kobe and Jordan are cut from the same cloth, both driven to compete, to win, to do whatever it takes to get there. Their will and drive stood out in the ultra-competitive NBA. There will not be many more like them.

Sometimes, we should sit back and enjoy what we have. Savor it. Enjoy watching Kobe for being Kobe, not argue about what he is or is not.