Ex-Clippers Guard Makes Controversial LeBron James Statement

Former LA Clippers guard Austin Rivers may make some Los Angeles Lakers fans mad with this one

Apr 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) talks with a referee in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

While LeBron James is the number one scorer in NBA history, he doesn't seem to receive that same respect from fans and his peers.

Most recently, former LA Clippers guard Austin Rivers was the one who took the floor speaking about LeBron's scoring prowess.

During a recent interview on The Ringer's Off Guard podcast, Rivers gave his thoughts on LeBron as a scorer.

“LeBron is number one [in scoring], but his game doesn’t match a prototypical scorer,” Rivers said. “It’s also not sexy. LeBron’s game is built on force, sheer will, dedication, his mind, his IQ, the way he is able to dissect and control a game, and power, above anything else. He wills himself to the basket."

Rivers went on to add that while LeBron's game isn't "sexy", it's also worth giving credit that he developed into a jumpshooter later in his career.

“Now, you have to give the guy credit," Rivers said. "As he’s gotten older, he’s become a better jumpshooter. It’s crazy that he’s going to retire the best jumpshooter he’s ever been."

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In Rivers' eyes, LeBron is a complicated scorer to analyze because the results are undeniable. At the same time, he didn't have the same amount of skill as other players.

“It’s a complicated thing to talk about because, are we talking about results or the aesthetic? If we’re talking results, LeBron has scored more than anybody," Rivers admitted. "If we’re talking about the aesthetic, then you’re going to go with someone who’s a more polished scorer and more skilled on the offensive side."

Comparing LeBron James to Kevin Durant

Oct 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rivers went on to compare how LeBron James scores points to how Kevin Durant scores. In Rivers' eyes, Durant has a much bigger offensive bag than James.

“For instance, LeBron has scored more points than Kevin, but Kevin can score in a much bigger variety of ways than LeBron. You can argue with the wall, but that’s just the truth. LeBron doesn’t have half the offensive bag that Kevin has.”

Apr 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the first half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

So this creates the question, who does Austin Rivers believe are the greatest scorers of all-time?

“I would say Kevin [Durant], Carmelo [Anthony], James Harden, Kobe [Bryant], Michael [Jordan], and [Allen] Iverson are the best scorers I’ve ever seen," Rivers concluded.

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