Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, closing in on Michael Jordan for third on the NBA's all-time scoring list, insists he isn't fueled by a desire to surpass the icon.

"I only think about it when I'm asked about it," Bryant said, refuting former coach Phil Jackson's claim that Bryant has been driven throughout his career by a desire to surpass Jordan.

"People who say that don't really understand me," Bryant told the Los Angeles Times last week. "It's a myth. Phil likes to say things a lot of times to create good content and create good stories."