In recent years, the GOAT debate has expanded. Nowadays, the NBA community has also been arguing about the GOAT in every position. For Ron Harper, his GOAT of choice in the small forward position has always been the same.
According to Ron, the undisputed greatest small forward of all time is none other than his former Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen. To Harper, who won three consecutive titles alongside Scottie, the versatile forward did not just thrive in his position. He redefined it.
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Harper further argued that Pip proved himself worthy of the title when Michael Jordan first retired in 1993. Left to steer the ship alone, Scottie transcended his “sidekick” label and put up MVP numbers and performances without MJ.
“You ain’t never going to win a championship by yourself… When MJ decided to retire, I already knew that Scottie was going to be the A guy,” Harper told Scoop B Robinson. “Scottie Pippen is probably the best small forward who ever played the game. He can guard positions one, two, three, four, five, he can score the basketball and he can pass it. There’s not one thing that Scottie couldn’t do at all!”
Pip is better than LeBron in the category
As expected, Harper’s solid take often clashed with many modern NBA fans and analysts. Most of them are convinced that LeBron James holds the crown for versatility and even though Pippen was the first point forward, it’s The King who dominated in that position.
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While the argument was strong, Harper remained firm in his disapproval. He refused to let the sheer weight of James’ scoring prowess overshadow what Pippen brought to the hardwood every single night.
Harper puts Pippen above James in the conversation because of their huge and undeniable difference in defensive energy and overall defensive qualities. While Ron recognized that LeBron has put together elite defensive seasons, Pippen’s defensive intensity was unrelenting, consistent and more impactful.
“LeBron is a great off-the-ball defensive player. He like to chase down and block shots,” Harper once said. “Scottie Pippen can pick a point guard up full court of the basketball court and control the game that way.”
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“LeBron ain’t picking the guy up full court. That ain’t the energy that LeBron going to bring on the defensive end.”
Why Pippen deserves to be the GOAT small forward
Delving deeper into why Pippen rightfully deserves to be hailed as the GOAT small forward reveals a resume that could rival even the best in other positions. Beyond his six NBA championships, Pippen was a ten-time All-Defensive Team member and a seven-time All-Star.
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Pip’s distinct mentality allowed him to perfectly balance an ego-free willingness to facilitate with a cutthroat drive to win, which is something that you would rarely see in a star player these days. Moreover, Scottie pioneered the blueprint for the modern positionless player by combining elite playmaking skills with incredible consistency on both ends of the floor.
Numbers-wise, Pippen also presents a strong yet intriguing case to become the GOAT small forward. When Jordan left the Bulls, Pip averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game.
It has to be taken into account that Pippen logged these numbers in an era where the game was more physical and there was no heavy reliance on the 3-point shot yet.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
