Breaking news:Kobe Bryant snubbed Michael Jordan when choosing his favourite-ever basketball player who never featured in the NBA

Throughout his career, Kobe Bryant never hid the fact that Michael Jordan was the one NBA superstar he looked up to more than any other.

The Los Angeles Lakers icon drew stylistic comparisons to Jordan almost from the moment he entered the NBA as a teenager and he consistently demonstrated a similar work ethic and unyielding drive towards success as the Chicago Bulls legend, powering him to five championships and one Most Valuable Player award.

Jordan was something of a mentor to a the Lakers No.8 as a youngster and the pair remained close up until Bryant’s death in 2020.

“I grew up watching Michael on TV, and now you’ve got a chance to go face-to-face with him,” Bryant said of playing against his NBA hero. “You get a chance to really see, by touch and feel, the strength, speed, quickness and it was fun to be out there.”

But there was one player from outside the NBA whom Bryant might even have held in higher regard than Jordan.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bryant spent much of his youth living in Italy where his father, Joe Bryant, played basketball professionally.

And it was one of his dad’s opponents who caught young Kobe’s eye.

“His dad played in Italy,” said Oscar Schmidt. “He grew up watching me beat his dad every year. He said to his father that he likes me. Joe said, ‘No, no. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan.’

“(He was like), ‘No, no, no, you lose to Oscar every year. I will continue with Oscar.'”

Schmidt was a Brazilian forward who was actually drafted into the NBA the same year as Jordan when the New Jersey Nets selected him with the 131st pick in 1984.

But he never played in the league and instead carved out a stellar career in his homeland and in Europe, as well as on the international stage. He was the highest scorer in the Italian top division seven times and ten times in Brazil, where he also won three championships. The website hoopshype.com ranked Schmidt the third-best player never to play in the NBA.

“The first time I actually talked to him was at the 2008 Beijing Olympics,” Schmidt said. “I was emotional. He was emotional. It was great to see him as a grown-up man.”