While he should soon become the best scorer and interceptor in playoff history, surpassing Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen respectively, LeBron James is still at the center of historical debates.
Greater than Jordan? Better than Kobe Bryant? The American colleagues multiply the discussions since the first two rounds in Boston, and inevitably, the former players are invited to express themselves.
Charles Barkley believes that if LeBron dominates the Warriors in the Finals, then he will be at Bryant’s level. Scottie Pippen, on the other hand, takes a step aside
« I don’t think he’s surpassed Kobe, » the former Bulls winger tells ESPN. « I don’t even think he should be compared to Kobe or Jordan, because they play different positions. Kobe and Michael are backs, scorers. Kyrie Irving is more like those two because they want to score. »
Where James is a better passer.
« They are not game facilitators. LeBron organizes the team, we’ve never seen Kobe or Michael do that, because they’re not comfortable in that area. They only think about scoring and no coach wants to give the organization of the game to this kind of players because otherwise we do not see the ball!
« LeBron is more dominant than Magic or me «
Like many observers, the six-time NBA champion notices more commonalities with another basketball legend.
« I like to compare him to Magic. He has a game more similar to Magic’s or mine. But he’s more dominant than Magic and me. His physicality, his athleticism surpasses Magic as much as it does me. »
If Pippen did not say that LeBron was greater than Magic, the debate remains endless and probably the four-time MVP is a beautiful mixture of Jordan and Magic and we will have to reverse the reasoning one day and ask ourselves who will be the next LeBron James.
