When thinking of great NBA players at the small forward position, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James might be a couple of players who come to mind for folks.
Pippen was impactful on both ends of the floor for the Bulls in the 1990s, when the team won six titles. Meanwhile, James, like Pippen, is heralded as a player who can do a little bit of everything out on the floor. His dominance has spanned multiple decades, and he’s won at least one NBA title with three different teams.
Pippen was asked if the average NBA owner would pick him or James as an all-around player to be a team’s centerpiece. The seven-time All-Star seemingly wasn’t sure of the answer.
“I don’t know,” Pippen said. “You want individual accolades or do you want championships? ‘Cause I didn’t chase mines.”
During the conversation in question, Pippen explained that he doesn’t believe the G.O.A.T. discussion makes sense when it comes to team sports. He seems to think that team success is what matters in a sport like basketball.
It is true that Pippen currently has James beat when it comes to titles earned in the NBA as a player. James has won four rings over the course of his pro career, with his most recent championship coming in 2020. As mentioned, Pippen won six.
Pippen also has a point in that he was loyal to the Bulls for a long time, while James has shown a willingness to bounce around a bit. James won two titles with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and another with the Lakers.
But Pippen’s response seems to overlook the fact that he arguably wasn’t the Bulls’ best player during any of their six title runs in the 1990s. He never won a Finals MVP award during his time in Chicago.
James, on the other hand, was maybe the best player on every championship team he’s been a member of. After all, he has captured four Finals MVPs.
The 20-time All-Star still has time left in his career to add to his resume. James is 40 years old, but he remains a premier player and has helped the Lakers have a respectable season to this point. The Lakers are currently five wins above the .500 mark at 22-17 and are riding a two-game winning streak.
Los Angeles is just two games back of the Denver Nuggets for the No. 4 seed in the West.
