Even at 36-years-old, LeBron James continues to shock and awe the basketball world.
This season, despite the many obstacles he and the Lakers have had to face, he is putting on an amazing performance, averaging 25.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game on 47% shooting.
On Friday, Bulls legend Scottie Pippen became the latest to hail praise upon the King during an appearance on the ‘Chopping It Up With Oakley’ show.
There, he lauded LeBron’s unprecedented longevity and his wider impact on the world.
“What LeBron has been able to do throughout this has just been spectacular. His voice more so than his play, he’s been able to stand tall and utilize that stage of a springboard for social justice in a lot of ways so that’s been, you know, huge.
The fact that you’re talking about a man that’s 17 years in the league, I was reaching for the door at 17, I was walking out the door at 17.”
(start at 17:00)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4b6RYdDHs
As a side note, James actually has 18 years under his belt, and he’s in his 19th season, so Pippen made a mistake there. Still, given just how long James has been going, it’s understandable that he’d lose count.
Regardless, Scottie’s stance on James has been somewhat inconsistent in the past. While he did recently deny that any one player had a claim to the throne, he also has called Bron the greatest on numerous occasions, including in his book ‘Unguardable.’
“In the 80s on the playgrounds you’d have everyone moving the ball around — passing to help the team. That stopped in the 90s. Kids wanted to be ‘Like Mike.’ Well, Mike didn’t want to pass — didn’t want to rebound, or defend the best player. He wanted everything done for him. That’s why I always believed LeBron James was the greatest player this game has ever seen — he does everything and embodies what the game is truly about.”
It is true that James does pretty much everything on the basketball court. From scoring to passing to defending, there aren’t many holes in his game.
The fact that he’s still doing all of it so efficiently, after 18 years in the NBA, only makes it even more impressive.
LeBron James is truly legendary and his legacy will be revered for far beyond his final day on the court.
