"I’ll take myself, Michael Jordan, Magic.... Get rid of Barkley" - 6-time NBA champion snubs Charles Barkley in favor of Giannis Antetokounmpo in his All-time starting five

Scottie Pippen chose Giannis Antetokounmpo over Charles Barkley when asked about his all-time starting five. He wanted to stick with players of his generation, but had to consider Antetokounmpo, stating:

"I’ll take myself, Michael Jordan, Magic. Based on today’s game, it would be positionless, right? Yeah, so give me Charles Barkley. I want to still stick with the older players.

I’ll take Shaq. I got a lot of offense.... No no, you know what? Get rid of Barkley. Give me Giannis.... I want Giannis at the four and then give me Shaq at the bottom."

Pippen was a guest on "TrashTalk Productions" to promote his new book, but they ended up discussing a range of topics.

From his championships to the proudest moments of his career and "The Last Dance" documentary, the interview gave fans insight into Pippen's mind.

Players are often asked who they would pick as their ideal starting five. Most superstars pick peers from their era or players they idolized growing up. It is rare for a player like Ja Morant to choose Jerry West, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might.

However, certain players stand the test of time and are picked regardless of who is choosing. Legends such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan appear on most lists.

Another common theme is that most legends put themselves in the lineup. Maybe not if the question is directed to a role player or a non-All-Star, but most stars or Hall of Famers will deploy themselves.

How is Scottie Pippen's all-time starting five with Giannis Antetokounmpo and not Charles Barkley?

Former Chicago Bull Scottie Pippen.

Scottie Pippen's starting five is an incredibly balanced team. It boasts a great deal of defensive talent with Pippen, Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Shaquille O'Neal. Magic Johnson wasn't an All-Defensive player, but he could hold his own as a six-foot-nine point guard.

Antetokounmpo (2020) and Jordan (1988) won the Defensive Player of the Year award and are lockdown defenders. They would both be able to guard on-ball and off-the-ball.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is arguably the best help defender in the NBA today, along with the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green. Scottie Pippen was probably robbed of this award as well, but he did collect 12 All-Defensive team selections, eight of which were First Team.

Finally, Shaquille O'Neal would be a poor pick-and-roll defender, but would serve as an elite rim protector.

The playmaking would be off the charts as well, with arguably the greatest point guard in league history setting the tone. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pippen, and Jordan would all be exceptional as secondary playmakers.

O'Neal wouldn't handle the ball often, but would certainly be capable of kicking it out when doubled in the low post.

As for unstoppable scoring weapons, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all fulfill that category.

Jordan is arguably the greatest scorer of all time, while O'Neal and Antetokounmpo would be unguardable in the paint. Jordan won a record ten scoring titles in his career and his offensive prowess speaks for itself.

Giannis Antetokounmpo fell a point shy of leading the league in scoring this season, while O'Neal won two scoring titles. O'Neal could have had three, but David Robinson dropped 71 points on the final day of the 1994 regular season to snatch it away.

The only drawback to his squad appears to be its three-point shooting, something that no player on this team is prolific at. The most accurate distance shooter on the team is Michael Jordan, who shot 32.7% from three-point range for his career.

Pippen shot 32.6%, while O'Neal and Antetokounmpo would be liabilities on the perimeter due to their inability to convert jump shots. However, Antetokounmpo has shown signs of improvement every year.

Johnson, despite being a point guard, shot just 30.3% for his career because the 80s era didn't demand high volume three-point shooting from guards.

Overall, this team would dominate on both ends of the floor, but might struggle with spacing and free-throw shooting. Jordan and Johnson could make their foul shots, while Pippen and Antetokounmpo would be average from the line.

O'Neal was a disaster from the charity stripe. This lineup would rely heavily on its high IQ defense to compensate for its lack of shooting.