It's important to note that he was asked how good can LeBron be. I think Scottie made some good points but he didn't word his answer properly. He should have made it a point to say LeBron can be the best player ever.
Let's not get it twisted, LeBron is a beast. But let us also NOT forget that Jordan has 6 rings and LeBron has none ("Call me when LeBron has 6 championships...That's the only argument I need Sean!"). Jordan was a beast defensively and a shut-down defender. LeBron has been a shut-down defender lately, but he's been much more of a consistent team defender than a shut-down guy. Both guys are great scorers. MJ was much more prolific in his time than LeBron is now but LeBron could probably average 50 per game if he really wanted to. Which leads me to the real glaring difference between the two, which is that LeBron is just a naturally unselfish guy on the basketball court whereas Jordan was not naturally that way. LeBron likes to pass. Jordan liked to shoot. I think this is what Scottie was trying to key on when he said "everyone is a threat to score when LeBron is on the court". That's 100% true and could not be said of Jordan back in the day.
But with all that said, Scottie Pippen of all people has no place saying anyone is better than MJ because if there were no MJ, Scottie would not have 6 rings! I'm sure there's some axe Scottie's grinding that we may never know about but for him of all people to say that LeBron might be or is a better player than Michael Jordan is probably sacrilegious like Stephen A. Smith has been proclaiming. Scottie should wait a few more years to see if LeBron can get multiple rings before he starts this type of talk. Right now, it's all just conjecture because the rings are what matters, just ask Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, and Karl Malone. All guys who were amazing players but never won a championship simply because they played in an era where Jordan and his Bulls dominated. Once LeBron has a few rings and has kept the other great players of his era - that have solid teams and consistently make the playoffs - from getting rings, then Pippen might be clear for take-off with these type of comments. But until then....
7 comments:
Great touch with the Clay Davis at the end, that was the perfect response.
The closest to Jordan right now is Kobe and I don't even like dude but you gotta respect him. LeBron is a freak of nature because of his versatility but he still has a long way to go.
Year from now, if he wins all of those championships he promised the people of Miami, we maybe be able to call him a Jordan/Pippen hybrid and call him a great team player like Magic and at that point we can bring this discussion up.
He still has a ways to go to be better than Kobe, after that we can start to compare him MJ. Multiple Rings are needed for this conversation to actually have justification.
I will say this, I originally thought that the Heat was Wade's team, but I think now that its Lebron's team and his effectiveness will be what makes a difference in whether that team wins or loses. He's the nucleus.
If we're basing proximity to Jordan on rings, then yes, Kobe is the closest. But right now, today... LeBron is a better all-around basketball player than Kobe in my opinion. I respect Kobe's game although I don't like what I see from him off the court sometimes. And he is a beast, can't take anything away from him. But all-around basketball player... LeBron's got him beat right now. LeBron's distributes better, more recently has been playing better defense, and can be just as effective a scorer when he wants to be. Only reason I say this is because Kobe's on the decline right now. Last year, Kobe was better than LeBron. The years before that Kobe was better than LeBron. I don't think so right now though but next year Kobe could completely change the way I view it.
I agree also that it seems to be becoming LeBron's team.
I will agree with RipRock81! It's still Kobe in regards to being the closest player to Jordan. Not just because of the rings, but because he is a player playing with a knee on the bone, a finger that has been broken for 2 years and tendinitis! Not too many players can be affective, win titles, go to the Finals 2 years in a row, etc., with all those maladies. If Kobe was 100%, no debate. LeBron is a great player, even though I don't care for him on or off of the court. He has "Jordan potential," however he needs to be more effective at making his teammates better. Not to mention, he has way more help than Jordan ever did.
I guess I can agree to disagree with you guys. In terms of rings, I'll give Kobe the nod. In terms of all-around basketball payer I think LeBron's better right now. Kobe's injuries may have a lot to do with his decline but dude has a lot of mileage on those wheels so I'm not sold on that. And let's not make him out to be superman or whatever with the broken finger for 2 years, tendinitis, etc. That translates to "he's old, don't heal well no more, and can't keep up like he used to" to me, lol.
And I can't help but laugh at you mentioning that LeBron needs to be better at making teammates better. Since Day 1 in the league that's been what everybody has praised about him. Meanwhile, Kobe didn't learn that until he had to after Shaq left and won a ring in Miami.
Really? Out of all of the praise that I've heard about LBJ, I've never heard the "he makes his teammates better" praise. Interesting.
By actually passing the ball I think he's got a jump on Kobe. As for those exact words, perhaps not but the fact that he has often been described by "experts" as being just as happy to pass as shoot and also being a very good passer, he makes his teammates better. I don't think this argument would hold any water if you tried to make the point that Kobe is better at this than LeBron. But that's just my opinion.
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