Is Scottie Pippen Crazy to Think That LeBron James CAN Be Better Than MJ?

Scottie Pippen said something on Friday that turned the world of basketball on its head.

On ESPN's Mike and Mike, he bought up a question that is sure to spark plenty of debates at your Memorial Day BBQ: Can LeBron James ACTUALLY be better than Michael Jordan one day? He seems to think so. This caused an uproar and a flood of wavering opinions, from "He may be on to something" to "He must be crazy."

Your answer to the question may depend on your thoughts and opinion of LeBron himself.

If you are a fan of his, as I am, you will point to his rebounding and playmaking ability, as well as his versatility to defend every position on the court in some instances as his trump cards over Jordan.

If you are not a fan of his, you will say that Jordan was the more consistent shooter, better clutch performer and the greatest leader basketball has ever seen.

Both sides have valid arguments that can't be denied, so one has to be objective and take a step back to see that it really is hard to compare the two.

The Michael Jordan we have all come to know, love, and admire, we see him as a finished product, so we can definitively point out his strengths and weaknesses, look past his playoff failures and remember his crowning championship moment. Also, because we look at his demeanor and his likeable persona off the court and nothing can diminish what we see him as. All warranted points.

When we look at LeBron James, we see a basketball player who is only 26 years old, and still not fully in his prime yet. He still has to develop a post game, continue to improve his jump shot, and find a way to limit his boneheaded mistakes. Even a fan such as myself can acknowledge that.

Looking at the stats alone, the two seem pretty similar. LeBron comes in at 28 PPG, 7 RPG, 7 APG, 2 SPG, and 1 BPG in a 6'8" frame, with the combination of size and power that is nothing like we have ever seen before. Jordan comes in with 30 PPG, 6 RPG, 5 APG, 2 SPG, and 1 BPG, dominating offensively and defensively like a perimeter player had never done before.

But all true fans know, its not only what you do in the regular season, it's about what you do in the playoffs as well. While Jordan's success in the playoffs is self-explanatory, LeBron has had some success in the playoffs. It's just not the success we all envisioned from him, and that's fine. Remember, Jordan didn't start winning championships right away. LeBron is in a position to win multiple championships in the very near future, which will only enhance this debate later on.

Although LeBron has bought many critics and the constant "hate" on himself, through questionable DECISIONS, late game failures, and the lack of a championship to date, it is unfair to compare a player whose career has been over for eight years now to a player who is still in the middle of his own career.

While Scottie Pippen may be not be too far off in his opinion, he should let the career of the LeBron James pan out before making such a bold statement.