KOBE vs. MICHAEL

Comparing Kobe Bryant’s first eight seasons with the Lakers and Michael Jordan’s first eight with the Bulls:

FIRST SEASON

MICHAEL JORDAN: Age 21.

* Chicago Bulls 1984-85 (38-44), eliminated in first round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Jordan, Ennis Whatley, Dave Corzine, Steve Johnson, Orlando Woolridge.

* Season highlights: Averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and was selected NBA rookie of the year. Second-team All-NBA.

KOBE BRYANT: Age 18.

* Lakers 1996-97 (56-26), eliminated in second round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Shaquille O’Neal, Elden Campbell, Robert Horry.

* Season highlights: Averaged 7.6 points and 15.5 minutes a game as a reserve. Second-team All-Rookie.

SECOND SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1985-86 (30-52), eliminated in first round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Jordan, Kyle Macy, Woolridge, George Gervin, Sidney Green.

* Season highlights: Sat out 64 games because of a broken foot. Averaged 22.7 points. Scored NBA playoff-record 63 points in double-overtime loss to Boston.

BRYANT

* Lakers 1997-98 (61-21), eliminated in Western Conference finals. Starting lineup: Jones, Van Exel, O’Neal, Horry, Rick Fox.

* Season highlights: Averaged 15.4 points and 26.0 minutes as a reserve. Youngest player ever voted to start in the All-Star game.

THIRD SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1986-87 (40-42), eliminated in first round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Jordan, John Paxson, Gene Banks, Charles Oakley, Corzine.

* Season highlights: Led the league in scoring at 37.1 points a game. First-team All-NBA. First player since Wilt Chamberlain (1962-63) to score 3,000 points.

BRYANT

* Lakers 1998-99 (31-19), eliminated in second round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Bryant, Derek Fisher, O’Neal, J.R. Reid, Glen Rice.

* Season highlights: Averaged 19.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists. Third-team All-NBA.

FOURTH SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1987-88 (50-32), eliminated in second round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Jordan, Oakley, Corzine, Brad Sellers, Paxson.

* Season highlights: Chosen NBA most valuable player after leading the league in scoring (35.0) and steals (3.2). NBA defensive player of the year.

BRYANT

* Lakers 1999-2000 (67-15), won NBA championship.

* Starting lineup: Bryant, Ron Harper, O’Neal, A.C. Green, Rice.

* Bryant highlights: Averaged career highs in points (22.5), rebounds (6.3), assists (4.9) and minutes (38.2). Averaged 21.1 points in playoffs. Second-team All-NBA. Youngest player ever chosen first-team All-Defense.

FIFTH SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1988-89 (47-35), eliminated in Eastern Conference finals. Starting lineup: Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Sam Vincent.

* Season highlights: Won third consecutive scoring title (32.5). First-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense.

BRYANT

* Lakers 2000-01 (56-26), won NBA championship.

* Starting lineup: Bryant, Fisher, O’Neal, Fox, Horace Grant.

* Bryant highlights: Averaged 28.5 points in regular season, 29.4 in the playoffs. Second-team All-NBA, second-team All-Defense.

SIXTH SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1989-90 (55-27), lost in Eastern Conference finals. Starting lineup: Jordan, Pippen, Cartwright, Grant, Paxson.

* Season highlights: First-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense, won fourth consecutive scoring title (33.6).

BRYANT

* Lakers 2001-02 (58-24), won NBA championship. Starting lineup: Bryant, Fisher, O’Neal, Fox, Horry.

* Season highlights: Averaged 25.2 points in regular season, 26.6 in playoffs. First-team All-NBA, second-team All-Defense.

SEVENTH SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1990-91 (61-21), won NBA championship. Starting lineup: Jordan, Pippen, Cartwright, Grant, Paxson.

* Season highlights: Regular-season and NBA Finals most valuable player. First-team All-Defense. Won fifth consecutive scoring title (31.5). Averaged 31.1 points in the playoffs.

BRYANT

* Lakers 2002-03 (50-32), lost in second round of the playoffs. Starting lineup: Bryant, Fisher, O’Neal, Fox, Horry.

* Season highlights: Averaged a career-high 30.0 points in regular season, 32.1 in playoffs. First-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense.

EIGHTH SEASON

JORDAN

* Bulls 1991-92 (67-15), won NBA championship. Starting lineup: Jordan, Pippen, Cartwright, Grant, Paxson.

* Season highlights: Regular-season and NBA Finals most valuable player. First-team All-Defense. Won sixth consecutive scoring title (30.1). Averaged 34.5 points in the playoffs.

BRYANT

* Lakers 2003-04 (56-26), lost in NBA Finals to Detroit. Starting lineup: Bryant, Gary Payton, O’Neal, Karl Malone, Devean George.

* Season highlights: Averaged 24.0 points in regular season, 24.5 in the playoffs. First-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense.

NOTE: Jordan won four more NBA titles, four more Finals MVP awards and two more regular-season MVP awards. He finished with 10 scoring titles and the highest scoring average for a career (30.12).

-- Hans Tesselaar