Michael Jackson not dead? Twitter account comes alive during 2016 Kobe game

Entertainers, athletes and celebs of all kind were weighing in on Kobe Bryant’s 60-point performance in his final NBA game late Wednesday night – including the King of Pop.

Earlier on Wednesday, ESPN.com ran a story outlining the time Kobe and Michael Jackson hung out for a day. Jackson told Bryant in 1997 that he shouldn’t shy away from his obsession with the game of basketball.

“[Jackson] told me, ‘This is what you love. This is your obsession,” Bryant told Jackie MacMullen. “He said, ‘I know what it’s like to be different. Embrace it.'”

The verified Twitter account of Jackson @michaeljacksontweeted @kobebryant Wednesday night, “‘I thought I was working hard until I met him!”‘ – @kobebryant on MJ. Congrats to Kobe as he retires from the @Lakers!'”

The tweet confused many of Jackson’s 1.95 million Twitter users to the point where “Michael Jackson” was trending in the United States.

“Heaven got wifi or Michael Jackson alive” -@iamHamdsome12

“MICHAEL JACKSON IS ALIVE!” – @MJSightings

“Michel Jackson is dead & still tweeting but you’re alive & won’t reply to my texts” – @TCharis_DRO

“Aaaaahhhh!!!! MICHAEL JACKSON IS ALIVE!! He’s tweeting!! Kobes last game, Warriors breakin records & now this?!” – @slim2social

The Jackson account often tweets old quotes from Jackson. For instance, as recently asApril 4, it tweeted, “Albums should be for all races, all tastes in music. – Michael Jackson”

Obviously many were confused about the official “congratulations” to Kobe but here’s guessing that the guy or gal who runs the account took some artistic social media liberties. There’s still no official guidebook on how to handle the Facebook and Twitters accounts of the dead.

For the record, @michaeljackson did not come into existence until July of 2009. Jackson died in June of 2009.