In a basketball world where dual forwards like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and James Harden are common today, Scottie Pippen was a designer’s original.
Named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1997, Pippen, a seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time USA Basketball Olympic gold medalist was a dual threat on the basketball court.
Pippen’s presence on the Chicago Bulls was valuable and so efficient that some may even overlook how good the most famous alumni from the University of Central Arkansas was.
“I really never knew Scottie was THAT good,” Metta World Peace told me.
“When you look at when Jordan left him and I was playing ball at this time and I was a fan of the Bulls at this time first three rings; when you look at when Jordan left, I didn’t see – I wasn’t even paying attention at that time. But now I look back at it and I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness! They lost in a Game 7 against the Knicks!’ Scottie’s averaging 20-plus and almost got NBA MVP. All that slipped me. I think I was just focused on playing ball at that time. I didn’t pay attention to the Bulls. Jordan was gone and I didn’t realize how great Scottie was until now and watching film. I don’t know if he’s better than Jordan but he was incredible for sure.”
That’s high praise.
Jordan’s baseball hiatus during the 1993-94 NBA season gave Pippen the opportunity to go HAM! The eventual six-time NBA champ guided the Bulls to a 55-27 record that season while averaging 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game.
Pippen was also named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team that year. Bulls teammate Horace Grant averaged 15.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
“We had 30 shots going back in the bucket losing Michael,” Scottie Pippen shared with me.
“Our team bonded so well without Michael, as far as how players responded. We felt like our offense was made for the Knicks.”
Without MJ, the Bulls did lose 4-3 to Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason and John Starks’ New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals that season. But their play was still exciting to watch. “I know Michael was missing,” Toni Kukoc told me.
“But in a way probably I can say that was the most team play basketball that we did. The ball was shared and everybody stayed within the triangle and obviously Scottie had an awesome season; one of the… I’ll say the MVP kind of season and that he was a guy that made everybody else better and he did everything possible to keep that team on the right course.”
Pippen’s DNA was on that Bulls team and his ability to do it all stems from how he was utilized during his college days. A walk-on at Central Arkansas men’s basketball team, he went from being a team manager to eventually averaging 23.6 points after growing seven inches and later being drafted to the NBA.
Pippen continued to play out of position with the Bulls under Doug Collins. Phil Jackson would later take over and the rest is history.
“I came in this league as a point guard and put at small forward,” Pippen shared with me.
“I was kinda learning the game from a position that I was never put in.
“Phil Jackson was really a players coach. He had a great understanding of how the game was evolving.”
After spending time with the Bulls, Pippen had stops with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. Metta World Peace was drafted by the Bulls in 1999 and played against Pippen before his retirement in 2008.
“I love Scottie,” he shared.
“I didn’t respect Scottie’s offensive greatness until everyone kept talking about it and I can see why he’s mad because he’s not getting the respect that he deserves. I really never knew Scottie was THAT good.
“I don’t know if it was just me but when Mike was shining it was all about Michael. We knew that Scottie hit those shots off the glass, Scottie’s going to get a stop, you throw it up you know Scottie’s going to dunk it. He’s in the triangle passing the ball and as a kid you don’t understand that that’s greatness.”
