Scottie Pippen is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, and a pillar of the Chicago Bullsâ legendary dynasty alongside Michael Jordan. Their six championships in the 1990s helped define an era of basketball excellence that many believe will never be replicated. Yet Pippen himself recently drew an eye-opening comparison between his own game and that of a current Oklahoma City Thunder player starring in the NBA Finals.
Pippen sees shades of his own style in 23-year-old Thunder forward Jalen Williams. But rather than limit the young star with comparisons to his own legacy, the Hall of Famer said he believes Williams could surpass him. Speaking to ESPNâs Tim MacMahon, Pippen emphasized how the evolution of basketballâparticularly in offensive freedomâhas created more opportunities for players like Williams to thrive.
âI donât even want to put a cap on him and say that heâs going to be me,â Pippen said. âI see him being greater, if I can say that. Just because of where the game is today. They have offensive freedom. We didnât have that; we mostly ran out of a system. Players that are playing in todayâs game have a better chance to be better than players in the past because of the ability to shoot the ball. If this kid continues to shoot the three-ball the way he shoots it, Iâm not going to sit here and argue with nobody and say that you can compare us. Because you canât. He wins.â
Pippenâs praise wasnât just about skillâit was about style. The six-time NBA champion said he sees similarities in how both he and Williams impact the game on both ends of the floor. And while Pippen is already enshrined as one of the greatest two-way players in league history, he acknowledged that Williamsâ trajectory, especially in todayâs NBA, may put him in a class of his own.
Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after slam dunking during the second quarter in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs
Williams, now in his second full season, has emerged as a cornerstone of a young Thunder squad that has stormed into the NBA Finals. Long before he became one of the leagueâs most promising stars, he was a student of the game, watching hours of old highlights from the Bullsâ dynasty. Though he was born years after the Jordan-Pippen era, those clips helped shape his understanding of basketball greatness.
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In particular, Williams paid close attention to how Pippen and Jordan moved without the ball, played lockdown defense, and dictated tempo without always filling up the box score. Itâs no coincidence that Williamsâ game reflects a similar all-around polish, one built on defensive instincts, playmaking ability, and unselfishness on offense. Even in a league now defined by pace and space, those fundamentals remain valuableâand theyâve helped him earn the respect of a legend.
Pippenâs endorsement feels like a full-circle moment. For Williams, being compared to Pippen is already a high honor. To receive that comparison directly from Pippen himselfâalong with a suggestion that he could become even betterâis the kind of validation few players ever experience. It speaks not just to Williamsâ skill, but to his poise and maturity at such a young age.
As the Thunder continue their championship push, Williams is proving that he belongs on this stage. And if he continues on this trajectory, there may come a time when comparisons to Pippen are no longer about potentialâbut about legacy. For now, the NBA world is watching closely, and so is one of its greatest small forwards of all time.
