McDaniel has voiced his opinion on who Bron reminds him the most.

When LeBron James entered the NBA, he was often compared with Earvin “Magic” Johnson. It made sense, considering Bron’s playmaking abilities at a similar height to the Lakers legend. However, as time passed, the four-time champion continued to improve his game, becoming the top scorer in the history of the NBA and being in debates to be called the GOAT over Michael Jordan.

Xavier McDaniel, a former player of the Seattle Supersonics, has given his opinion that Bron is the closest player who could compare to MJ. The X-Man also made a comparison that made sense to him, Scottie Pippen.

“LeBron is just a bigger version of Scottie Pippen. He’s a big version of Scottie Pippen, he’s a 260-pound version of him,” McDaniel said about how he sees LeBron. “They gonna look to distribute before they look to score, I’m kinda like I wanna play with LeBron or Scottie. Mike isn’t gonna pass me the ball.”

LeBron is the most well-rounded player ever

While MJ still has a legendary legacy, Bron is the most well-rounded NBA player ever. He is a superb scorer and one of the league’s best playmakers. James lives up to the Magic comparisons, as he has redefined the point-forward role and has made it a norm with players like Luka Doncic following in his footsteps.

McDaniel makes a good point about James being a good teammate. He knows how to maximize his teammates’ abilities, making them more effective than ever. You can look at Kyrie Irving or Mo Williams, who are point guards but became off-ball players when playing with Bron. That change made them more potent on offense, as they didn’t have to find the gaps in the defense by playing off Bron.

Apart from his playmaking, LeBron is also one of the best defenders in the modern era. He does not have the Defensive Player of the Year award like MJ, but a significant chunk of the NBA community believes the 2013 DPOY award should’ve been Bron and not Marc Gasol.

The comparison shows Scottie’s value

While Pippen mostly played as the running mate or “sidekick” to MJ, he deserves praise for being one of the best players. He was a unique player back then, as he was a primary playmaker for the Bulls, standing at 6’8″.

Pip was the prototype for Bron, as he was a small forward who could be a playmaker, create his shot, and defend at the highest level. King James improved on that model and became the optimal version of an NBA player.

That notion has led to debates between MJ and LeBron, which will continue. People will have their opinions about that debate, but in the meantime, it’s better to appreciate the talent the NBA has had through the years, whether that’s MJ, Scottie, or LeBron.