Scottie Pippen: LeBron James will score more than Michael Jordan – NBA Update
Retired Chicago Bulls star and long-time running mate of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, has once again spoken on the NBA icon’s legacy, and compared him with current super star LeBron James. Pippen hasn’t made as outlandish a statement as he did last time,
carefully selecting his words to suggest that the Miami Heat forward will eventually go past Michael Jordan in the NBA’s all time scoring list.
During the NBA post season last year, Pippen caused controversy by suggesting that LeBron could be the greatest player in the history of the NBA. The comments drew criticism from almost everywhere, with most pundits and players dismissing the comparison
as inept and poking numerous holes in Pippen’s argument.
In his latest comments, Scottie said that he never meant to imply that LeBron was better than Jordan. Instead, he only meant that LeBron, statistically, will go ahead of Michael. That is what he still believes.
"I never said that LeBron was the greatest. That was never said," Pippen said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "I said by the end of his career, his numbers will be better. And I still stand by that.”
Pippen then went on to explain how that doesn’t necessarily make LeBron better than Michael.
“I think LeBron's numbers are crazy only because he's going to get in more years than Michael Jordan.”
Michael Jordan had a fragmented career, most of which was played alongside Pippen. He played for the Chicago Bulls at a time when the NBA was dominated by Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers.
Jordan broke that stranglehold and started an era so dominant that it has not been repeated since then, with 2 years separating three-consecutive post and pre-retirement NBA World Championships.
For Michael, staying at the top like that took away the thrill of the game, and he didn’t have more goals to accomplish anymore. He didn’t play the game long enough, as Pippen explains, and someone like LeBron who still has many years in the league stands
a great chance of overtaking the old master.
"Michael probably really only played 11 years in this league, and when you look at a kid like LeBron, who started at 18, 19 years old, he's probably going to pass Michael by his numbers in his first 10, 11 years in the league."
Jordan had a total of 15 seasons in the league, including those with the Washington Wizards after his second retirement, and amassed 32,292 points. LeBron on the other hand has already scored 19,045 points, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he goes past “His
Airiness” in the years to come.
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