Playing with Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant would be a huge honor for anyone. But LeBron James could imagine declining the invitation! Indeed, the winger recently explained that two other former players would be dream teammates for him.
In 19 seasons in the NBA, LeBron James has had the opportunity to play with an immense number of his peers. In total, more than 190 different players have stood next to him in the playoffs and regular season! And some of them are true legends of the game. Shaquille O’Neal at the beginning of his career, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade at the Heat and more recently of course, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook at the Lakers.
Given his status as a sacred monster of the orange ball, some have inevitably tried to imagine the four-time MVP with the same outfit as other Hall of Famers. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant frequently come up in the discussion, especially since he has the Purple and Golds in common with the latter. However, during his show on HBO, the winger made an astonishing revelation: rather than doing the show with the two backs, he would have preferred a tandem with two famous lieutenants of the 90s!
Penny Hardaway and Scottie Pippen, the darlings of LeBron
It’s crazy, I really like Scottie Pippen, you know. Obviously, Michael Jordan was amazing, Kobe would have been another one to play with. But Scottie Pippen and Penny Hardaway would be my top two choices to play with, because I recognize myself in them. I mean, I recognized myself in Pippen and Penny, in the way they played.
The King’s admission may be surprising, but it’s not all that surprising once he addresses a key issue: style of play. Unlike MJ or the Mamba, Bron is not a scorer in the first place, but an extremely complete player in all areas. This description applies perfectly to the Bulls’ #33 as well as to the Magic’s former player, who have amazed the league with their versatility during their respective careers. It is therefore easy to imagine that he was inspired by them.
On the other hand, LBJ’s reasoning is perhaps also for a simple reason: there would only be one ball for two overly dominant players if he played with Mike or Vino. Each of them is at his best when he has the ball in his hands, and not just in a few sequences. L-Train could certainly have excelled as a passer for the other, but not sure that would have maximized the potential of such a duo, as strong as they are inherently.
