When it comes to the older generation, LeBron James is rarely going to win the debate as the greatest player in NBA history.
Former player Byron Scott is the latest to pick Michael Jordan ahead of James. In fact, Scott went far as placing Kobe Bryant higher than James. During a recent episode of his podcast, Scott was asked by ex-teammate Michael Cooper who he would start between Jordan, James and Bryant.
"I gotta start MJ," Scott said. "Probably the best offensive player that we've seen. MJ had no weaknesses. He could take you off the dribble. He could pull up. Obviously, toward the end of his career, he was able to shoot threes. He could post you and then he's going to guard your ass. MJ would be the starter."
Scott then selected Bryant as the backup. When asked why he cut James, Scott said, "Because he's not better than those two."
A BEEFED UP PIP
It appears NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen is showing players get better with age.
Pippen, who entered the league in 1987 as a slender small forward, is looking like power forward Karl Malone these days. He showed off a ripped upper body in a social media post on Valentine's Day.
He dubbed himself as "Scottie Rippen."
Pippen was a key member in the Chicago Bulls winning six championships alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s. He is generally regarded as the first player to play the position "point forward" because of his versatility.
DID SUPER TEAMS EXIST BEFORE LEBRON JAMES?
LeBron James is often credited for creating the term "Super Team" in the NBA when he and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat in 2010.
In reality, it's happened in the league for decades. That was the case in 1982 when the Philadelphia 76ers somehow traded for reigning league MVP Moses Malone, pairing him with Hall of Famers Julius Erving, Bobby Jones and Maurice Cheeks. The Sixers also had All-Star Andrew Toney.
They finished the season 65-17 on the way to an NBA title, sweeping the Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. The only team to win one game against the Sixers that postseason was the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bucks thought they had a chance after losing to the Sixers in six games the previous season. And then the Malone trade happened.
"We were poised to beat the Sixers the next time we played in the playoffs," former Bucks forward Marques Johnson told Back In The Day Hoops On SI. "We took them to (six) games in the playoffs and then they went out and got Moses Malone. Then that became unfair."
James is unfairly blamed for trends as such when it's occurred for years. The Lakers traded for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Bob McAdoo during the Showtime era.
"That's what I keep telling people," Johnson said. "The more things change, the more they remain the same. Moses wasn't going to the New Jersey Nets. He wasn't going to the bottom-feeding teams. He was going to a team he had a legitimate chance to win a championship. You credit his agent. His agent made the moves that had to be made to put him in position to play with Dr. J. You put him and Dr. J together and it's a done deal. That was a definite super team. Guys were making those moves back in the day."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at [email protected]
