LeBron James normally does not take the bait. But the Los Angeles Lakers superstar had time on Thursday, responding to a quick jab from former ESPN's Jay Williams, who said James was once a Scottie Pippen to Dwyane Wade.
The term “Pippen” has now been long synonymous with sidekick; a Robin to his Batman, as some may say.
Yet James wasn't taking any slander, even as Williams tried to point out that Wade's heroics proved more instrumental than James' during that 2011 postseason before The King earned his first ring:
Explain to me what the fux I gotta do with this subject matter! I’m over here minding my damn business preparing for Houston. And by the way I ain’t never been nobody but my damn self! 👑 Shit!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 3, 2020
LeBron James wasn't the only one to bark back, as Scottie Pippen himself had some fighting words for fellow former NBA player-turned-ESPN-analyst Richard Jefferson, who authored the original tweet wondering if Giannis Antetokounmpo was more of a Pippen than a Michael Jordan.
LeBron does have the Houston Rockets on his immediate radar, but that is hardly confirming or denying there was some truth in Williams' observation.
A quick glance at James' totals will show he did not reach 25 points in any of the six games against the Dallas Mavericks, who came back from 2-1 down to win the 2011 NBA Finals and deny James his first ring.
Wade, on the other hand, was the leading scorer for the Heat, averaging 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks as a do-it-all machine. The Miami Heat star did some heavy lifting at the start of the Big Three years, but LeBron James would eventually put that narrative behind him as he took on bigger responsibilities.
It has been a long time since that has been a point of discussion, but nothing like a former NBA player to make The King relive his truths again.
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