Scottie Pippen makes feelings clear on how Michael Jordan would fare in NBA now versus LeBron James in his era

Scottie Pippen made his feelings clear when asked if NBA legend Michael Jordan would have fared better now compared to LeBron James in his era.

Pippen won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls between 1991 and 1998, all with the Chicago Bulls. He was also an NBA All-Star on seven occasions.

Jordan was Pippen's Bulls team-mate for all six of those titles, with the latter retiring a year after his fellow NBA legend in 2004.

His career briefly overlapped with that of James, who is still an active player now for the Los Angeles Lakers but started his professional career in 2003.

Speaking on the PBD Podcast with host Patrick Bet-David, Pippen was directly asked whether Jordan in the current era, or LeBron in the previous era, would fare better in the NBA.

Pippen explained: "Probably Michael.

"Remember, Michael era and my era early on, very physical, 85 to 90-point games. Different.

"In today's game, we're looking at some games that get to 130, 140. So I think Michael would have strived off just being free, open, not having the physicality he had to play in time in, time out."

He added: "When you look at these players in today's era, being LeBron, there's really no comparison when you talk about the level of competitiveness... Michael bunched up all of his competitiveness and exposed it out to the world.

"In 12 to 14 years, we saw his whole resume, his competitiveness, his drive, his will to win. When someone like LeBron has to spread that out across 20 years, it's not the same fight, it's not the same drive, it's not the same hunger

"And so when people try to make those comparisons of those two players, it's like talking to someone in the front seat and the back seat. They aren't even in the same lane."

Michael Jordan would DOMINATE the NBA in ANY ERA 🐐

Scottie Pippen compares ERAS, reveals why MJ would EMBARRASS today’s WEAK NBA Stars and why comparing him to LeBron should never have happened, especially when it comes to competitive drive 🏀 pic.twitter.com/xaUrLEfxni

— NBA Strife ツ (@strifeomg) March 30, 2025

When asked whether Jordan's dominance could have stretched as far back as the 1970s, he replied: "I didn't play in the 70s, but I gotta imagine that the game was even just as physical as it was in the 80s.

"I mean, I think he would have had success in that era. The game has changed tremendously, from the ball handling, to the steps that the players take.

"When you ask me that, how successful would have been in the 70s, I don't know how they would have officiated him."