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"I'm not better than Jordan" - When LeBron James downplayed Scottie Pippen's compliments that he's the GOAT


"I'm not better than Jordan" - When LeBron James downplayed Scottie Pippen's compliments that he's the GOAT originally appeared on Basketball Network.

LeBron James and Michael Jordan have been mentioned in the same breath ever since the kid from Akron stepped into the NBA. Dubbed "The Chosen One," LeBron carried the enormous weight of being hailed as the next MJ — a heavy burden for someone fresh out of high school.

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Eight seasons in, the conversation shifted, with Scottie Pippen himself suggesting that LeBron might already be the better basketball player than His Airness. As flattering as the comparison was, James was quick to shut down the notion.

"Michael's an unbelievable player," James said about Pip's comments, per ESPN. "I've got a long way — long way — to be mentioned as far as one of the all-time greats. Not even just Jordan. There's a lot of great players who have played in this league. Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all these guys who are floating around with multiple rings, Bill Russell, all these guys who have pioneered this game."

"I'm gracious. Humbled by Scottie's comments, especially with him being a teammate of his and seeing Michael on a day-to-day basis. But as far as me, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm better than Jordan. I'm not better than Jordan," added "King James."

Scottie was impressed

Bron was yet to win a championship at this stage of his career but had just dominated the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the league-leading Chicago Bulls. The Bulls were up by as much as 12 in the fourth quarter in Game 5 until James got hot and poured 10 points in the fin al 3:36 of the game to pull off an 83-80 victory.

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It was such a brilliant performance that Pippen got carried away and pitched the idea that the then-two-time MVP was "the best player to ever play the game" over his own teammate.

"Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to play the game," Pippen stated on "Mike & Mike In The Morning" on ESPN Radio. "But I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so potent offensively that not only can he score at will, but he keeps everybody involved."

"You have to be on your P's and Q's on defense. No guy on the basketball court is a threat to score with LeBron James out there. Not only will LeBron dominate from the offensive end as well, but he's also doing it on the defensive end, which really makes him the complete package. He's able to get in those passing lanes, shoot those gaps, and create transition opportunities where he is pretty much unstoppable," he added.

Bron left his imprint all over the series, particularly over the last two games, all of which came down to the wire. He scored 23 points in the second half and OT in Game 4 and stuffed the stat sheet (28 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks) in the Game 5 comeback.

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Recency bias may have kicked in for Pip, but it's a testament to LeBron's unique impact as a two-way player at this point in his career.

Related: "I think it's a waste of time" - Tracy McGrady explains why it's pointless for young players to play in the G-League

Did Pip jinx LeBron?

As remarkable a postseason as James had in 2011, it was the exact opposite of what he showed in the NBA Finals. He was a complete no-show during crunch time in Games 3 to 5, totaling four points in six shot attempts in the fourth quarters of those games. Bron looked like the weakest link of the Big 3, taking a backseat to Dwyane Wade (26.5 PPG) and Chris Bosh (18.5 PPG) in scoring during the series after dominating the ECF.

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It was a bit premature for the former 6'8" forward to put LeBron in that conversation, and it may have put unnecessary pressure on him. Nonetheless, the 2003 first-overall pick learned his lesson and captured the next two titles as the undisputed best player on the Heat. The MJ talk would always be there, but he didn't need to chase those c onversations in year eight as his story was still unfolding.

Related: "He would bully him" - WWE legend and two-time Olympian Mark Henry picks LBJ over MJ in the GOAT debate

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

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