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LeBron James: Pippen, Penny, Kobe, All-Time NBA Players I Wish I'd Played with
April 8, 2022
While not an official starting group, LeBron James did come up with three NBA legends he would have liked to play alongside in a dream scenario.
During the latest episode of The Shop (starts at 30:35 mark), the Los Angeles Lakers star cited Scottie Pippen, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and Kobe Bryant as players he wishes he could have played with.
James also mentioned Michael Jordan as someone who "was crazy," but the comment comes in the midst of talking about Pippen's skill set.
In explaining his choices, James specifically cited Pippen and Hardaway as the two players from the previous generation that really remind him of his game.
"Like, I saw myself in Pippen and Penny—tall guards, point forward, get everybody involved, defend all type of positions," James said.
Pippen's size and length allowed him to matchup with guards and small forwards. He was a defensive wizard, despite never being named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The Chicago Bulls legend was named to the All-Defensive team 10 times in 17 seasons, including eight first-team selections.
Hardaway was a prototype for what a modern point guard could do, but he was doing it in the mid-90s with the Orlando Magic. The four-time All-Star was a 6'7" facilitator who was also capable of averaging 20 points per game.
At the peak of his career, Hardaway shot better than 50 percent from the field and averaged more than seven assists per game (1994-96). He made four consecutive All-Star games and two All-NBA first-teams before injuries derailed his career.