Key Takeaways

• A third-quarter charge in the 2003 Lakers-Wizards game sparked a memorable exchange between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
• Actor John Cusack confirmed Jordan’s quote to Kobe after the play: “Everybody in the f**king building knew you weren’t gonna pass.”
• The moment captured a rare blend of humor and legacy between two of the NBA’s most iconic players.

On March 28, 2003, the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Washington Wizards at Staples Center for what would become Michael Jordan’s final game against Kobe Bryant. Jordan, 40 years old and closing out his second retirement season, faced a 24-year-old Bryant at the height of his prime. The meeting was part of Jordan’s farewell tour, a night that drew national attention as fans and media anticipated one more direct matchup between the two players who defined consecutive eras of NBA greatness.

Bryant spoke publicly about Jordan’s second return to the league and how his on-court approach evolved. “I think his game now is more determined by balance and trying to get his defender off balance or off-center, so then he can take advantage of his opponents,” Bryant said when asked about facing the veteran guard. Asked if he was surprised by Jordan’s performance after years away, he replied, “Not really. Michael’s always had a great work ethic, so I’m really not too surprised at what he’s doing right now.”

The final Kobe Bryant–Michael Jordan duel

The game itself was competitive early, but by the third quarter the Lakers had taken control. As ESPN recorded, Bryant went on to score 55 points on 15-of-29 shooting, including nine three-pointers. Jordan finished with 23 points in 41 minutes. Los Angeles won 108–94, improving to 42–30, while Washington fell to 34–38. The contest was memorable not just for Bryant’s scoring but for a single sequence late in the game that produced one of the most enduring (and bittersweet) moments in basketball history.

With 30.2 seconds left in the third quarter, and the Lakers leading 87–67, Bryant drove toward the lane on an isolation play. Jordan stepped into position and drew the charge, sending both players into the frame that cameras would later immortalize. The official play-by-play logged the foul on Bryant, followed by his substitution for Kareem Rush and a Wizards jumper by Jordan seconds later.

Broadcast footage showed what happened next. After the whistle, Bryant stood over Jordan smiling as the Wizards veteran remained on the floor. Jordan appeared to smile back before Washington guard Tyronn Lue moved in to help him up. Before Lue could reach him, Bryant playfully mimed a few light punches toward Jordan, then offered his hand and helped him to his feet. The two laughed as they walked down the court, with Bryant briefly palming Jordan’s head in a friendly gesture. Courtside video also captured actor John Cusack watching the exchange, visibly entertained by the lighthearted interaction.

John Cusack’s eyewitness account

Some time later, Cusack recalled the exchange in detail, confirming what the cameras partially captured. “Some point in the game, everyone knew Michael and Kobe were going to go one-on-one,” he said. “Kobe got the ball, he cleared everybody out, and everybody started to bristle up with anticipation. Kobe started to drive, Michael stepped in front of him, right in front of him, and he took the charge. He went down, and Kobe was standing above him. Michael just looked up and said, ‘Well, everybody in the f**king building knew you weren’t gonna pass.’ Then there was a pause, and it was like the old pro got him. Kobe just started laughing. They both started laughing, but that’s what they said.”

While neither player appears to have described that exact possession on record, their broader relationship has been well documented. Bryant often described Michael Jordan as his “big brother.” “What you get from me is from him,” the late NBA star could be heard saying in the docuseries “The Last Dance.” “I don’t get five championships here without him ’cause he guided me so much and gave me so much great advice.” In his 2020 memorial speech, Jordan said of Bryant, “He was like a little brother… As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be.”

Jordan retired for the final time less than three weeks later, on April 16 in Philadelphia. The photo from that third-quarter charge remains a fixture in retrospectives and anniversary coverage of both players’ careers. It appears in NBA documentaries, social-media tributes, and print features as shorthand for a passing of eras — one legend still dominant, the other on his way to defining the next generation.