When it comes to the NBA, there hasn’t been a more iconic duo like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The duo gained global recognition with the Chicago Bulls during the 1995-96 NBA season. Thanks to their perfect chemistry and understanding of the sport, they set the record for the most wins in an NBA regular season, which was later broken in the 2015-16 season by the Golden State Warriors by 73-9. This iconic teamwork led to many new stars trying to achieve the same dynamic on the court. While many NBA fans will have their duos, Paul Pierce voiced his preference and it’s from the WNBA.

During the recent episode of ALL THE SMOKE, Kevin Garnett and Pierce discussed the WNBA and the rising stars coming into their own. Discussing the history of the league, one of their crew members pointed out, “Houston won four in a row from ’96 to 2000.” Right from the inception of the league, the Houston Comets bagged four championship wins, and rightfully so, in the words of Kevin Garnett, it was indeed “an incredible team.”

To this, Pierce further added, “That team is equivalent to the girls’ Bulls, because that was like Jordan Pippen with Cooper and Swoops.” The women in question here are Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper. Both women were part of the Houston Comets and were absolutely crucial in topping all statistical charts for the WNBA. During their debut game, the Comets defeated the Phoenix Mercury by 74-70. Unfortunately, Swoopes didn’t record any points, rebounds, or assists but Cooper managed 34 points.

At the same time, the Comets also defeated the Cleveland Rockers 76-56, where Cooper scored 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 3 steals. She was the only player to record a 20+ points game. This made her the first player in WNBA history to a 20-point game.

This propelled them into the WNBA spotlight. Additionally, Swoopes won the WNBA MVP award thrice, while Cooper was named League MVP twice. The two women are also honorable Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members. However, this wouldn’t be the first time Jordan has been used to compare rising stars.

Michael Jordan trumps LeBron James, according to Shaq

Pierce wasn’t the only person who spoke about Jordan in such high esteem. Recently, Shaq revealed his top five starters of all time, and Jordan was also on his list. This shocked LeBron James‘ fans, who believed he earned his spot on the list.

While Shaquille O’Neal mentioned the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dr. J, and Karl Malone, he added himself to the list. This did irk some fans who called out the NBA star. However, it will be interesting to see what James says about it if he is to ever acknowledge the said list.

There is no denying that Swoopes and Cooper are two phenomenal stars in their own right. And with the growth that W has lately seen, along with the heightened conversations around its greatness, it truly is an honor for formative players of the league like Cooper and Swoopes to be mentioned again and again.