LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat hugs Michael Jordan after defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 109-98 in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Time Warner Cable Arena on April 28, 2014, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images/AFP
Although a lot of great talents have graced the NBA hardwood over the years, the title of “G.O.A.T” (Greatest of All Time) is still undoubtedly held by Michael Jordan.
With Kobe Bryant—the player many believe is the closest to Jordan—now retired from the sport, most fans see Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James as the all-time great’s worthy successor.
But as far as Jordan’s former Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen is concerned, “The King” may have already surpassed “His Airness” from a statistical standpoint.
In an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” Pippen gave his two cents on the ongoing “Jordan vs. James” debate.
“The numbers don’t lie. He’s right there,” he described the four-time NBA MVP, as relayed by USA Today’s Andrew Joseph.
“He probably will never catch him in terms of MVP, but in terms of statistics, LeBron is right there. And when you look across the board—not just scoring—check his assists, check his rebounds … he’s probably ahead of Jordan.”
From a numbers standpoint, there certainly is some truth to Pippen’s assumptions, as James does indeed hold a statistical advantage over Jordan in two major categories other than scoring and steals per game.
In 15 seasons, Jordan holds career averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks, while James currently checks in at 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
But with the current form James is displaying in his 15th NBA season, it’s safe to assume that his impressive numbers will even go higher in the coming years. Khristian Ibarrola /ra