Scottie Pippen names the “special” NBA star who can be better than him

Over the course of his 17-year NBA career, Scottie Pippen won six championship rings with the iconic Chicago Bulls team of the 1990s. Now, casting his eye over the talent at the 2025 NBA Finals, he has named the player that he believes could be even better than him.

Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Jalen Williams made the NBA All-Star game for the first time in his young career and he’s been a key player in the Finals. He put up 40 points in Game 5 to clinch the victory for Thunder and Pippen thinks that there’s even more to come from Williams.

“He is pretty special,” Pippen said of the 22-year-old. “I’m enjoying watching him. I see a lot of me in him for sure. I see a guy rising to be one of the top players in this league. He’s definitely a player that is capable of being able to lead that franchise to multiple championships; him and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], of course.”

The Thunder are undoubtedly a team in the ascendancy, led by the young pairing of Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander. But while some have been making comparisons to the partnership that Pippen enjoyed with Michael Jordan, the former Bulls star believes that’s an over-simplification.

“I don’t even want to put a cap on him to say that he’s going to be me,” Pippen said. “I see him being greater, if I can say that. Just because of where the game is today. They have offensive freedom. We didn’t have that.”

He continued: “These guys have the freedom to shoot 3-balls and things of that nature. Players that are playing in today’s game have a chance to be better than players in the past because of the ability to shoot the ball.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was recently named NBA MVP and has a good chance of being crowned Finals MVP, too. But both he and Williams will ultimately be defined by their team’s successes, by the number of rings that they win. So far both extraordinary young talents are on zero, but that could all change with Sunday’s Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.