"I see him being greater" - Scottie Pippen expects OKC star Jalen Williams to transcend limitations and excel beyond sidekick role

Jalen Williams entered the postseason with a lot to prove. Even though he played an integral role in the OKC Thunder winning 68 games in the regular season, many wondered if he was good enough to help MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead them to a title. After scoring 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the 24-year-old has earned praise from Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen.

In an interview with ESPN's Tim McMahon posted on Thursday before Game 5, Pippen spoke about what he has seen from Williams throughout his career. According to him, the sky's the limit for the young All-Star. If he continues to develop his game, Pippen said, Williams could surpass him in the all-time NBA player ranking.

"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...If this kid continues to shoot the 3-ball the way that he shoots it, I'm not going to sit here and argue with nobody and say that you can compare us. Because you can't. He wins."

Pippen was drafted by the Bulls in 1988 and played second fiddle to Michael Jordan throughout the team's dynasty in the 1990s, winning six titles in eight years. Williams, on the other hand, was drafted in 2022 and has grown into Gilgeous-Alexander's partner in crime. He has been deemed today's version of Pippen.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credits the Thunder's success to Jalen Williams

While Gilgeous-Alexander is the scoring champion and earned NBA MVP honors this season, he acknowledged that the Thunder would not be in a position to win a championship without his fellow All-Star's stellar play.

"'Dub' has made tremendous strides," Gilgeous-Alexander told McMahon. "He is one of the biggest reasons why we're here. Him being able to shoulder what he does every night on both ends of the floor takes a lot of pressure off everyone else around him, including myself. He is a gamer. He is a winner. But he continues to get better in every situation. He is a Swiss Army knife, and he's only getting better with every game he plays. I'm excited to see where he ends up."

Williams has a chance to cement his legacy in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. If he puts up another all-around performance like he did in Game 5, he could steal Finals MVP honors away from his teammate. Regardless of who receives the bulk of the credit, a win vaults both stars into the company of NBA legends like Pippen.