On the latest episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the outspoken commentator unleashed a fiery tirade against Scottie Pippen, who recently made controversial remarks on the PBD Podcast. Pippen boldly claimed Magic Johnson was the bigger GOAT than Michael Jordan or LeBron James and even went as far as suggesting he was the best player himself. Stephen A., never one to shy away from a debate, reacted with unfiltered passion, calling for a metaphorical “drug test” on Pippen.
“Oh my god, drug test him now, I want test. Take him into a urine sample, get a blood test, drug test him now. You got to be kidding me, I can’t believe what we just heard I can’t believe it and damn it, Patrick B David, I love you, but let me tell you something right now, if you trying to tell me that Scotty Pippen is justified in calling himself the best, you need to be drug tested too.”
“How you the best, when you weren’t even the best on your own team? How you the best, when you weren’t even the number one option?”
“This it hurts me because I don’t want to do this, if you’re the best why were you calling for Jordan if you’re the best? Why were you pouting on the bench when Phil Jackson called Toni Kokuc’s number instead of yours in the playoff series against the Knicks?
“If you’re the best why would why was Bill Cartwright in the locker room crying while excoriating you from abandoning your teammates?”
“You also quit, you quit. You had a migraine in 87. I mean you had a migraine in a game seven against the Pistons. Michael Jordan was left crying on the bus in his daddy’s arms, talking about when we going to win.”
“What are you talking about Michael Jordan averaged over 30, about eight or nine times. Michael Jordan was on First Team all NBA defensive team nine times.”
“You had to play defense because you weren’t that great offensively. Tremendous athleticism, 6-9, could dunk on anybody as Patrick Ewing would tell you. Had a sporadic jump shot, you were big enough and physical enough and talented enough to score in an open court but a number one option keyed upon that wasn’t your game. “
“That was LeBron’s game, that wasn’t your game, that was Kobe’s game, that wasn’t your game, that was Michael Jordan’s game, Vince Carter was the number one option, Allen Iverson was the number one option.”
“What are you talking about? What are you talking about? GOAT? You? You one of the great ones, you one of the great ones, Scottie but the GOAT, when your teammate was Michael Jordan.”
“By the way, I didn’t even bring up when you went to Portland, because you wanted your money. You went to Portland wasn’t that you, when Portland Trail Blazer up about 15 in that game seven, when Kobe threw the alley-oop to Shaq, who brought down the house, wasn’t that your team?”
“Wasn’t y’all want trip away from the finals? Wasn’t that you? What are you talking about he talking about?”
Smith was incredulous at Pippen’s audacity to call himself the greatest basketball player, noting that Pippen wasn’t even the best player on his own team. Smith dug deep into Pippen’s career history, recounting moments that undermined his claim.
He pointed to the infamous 1994 playoff incident when Pippen refused to check into the game after Jackson designed a last-second play for Kukoc, not him. Smith also highlighted Pippen’s struggles as a primary option when Jordan retired in 1993, questioning Pippen’s ability to carry a team on his own.
Smith contrasted Pippen’s claims with the undeniable greatness of players like Jordan, LeBron, Kobe Bryant, and others who thrived as dominant number-one options. He acknowledged Pippen’s defensive brilliance and athleticism but insisted that Pippen’s offensive game and leadership never reached the levels required to enter the GOAT conversation.
Smith didn’t stop with Pippen’s Chicago Bulls years. He also revisited Pippen’s time with the Portland Trail Blazers, recalling the team’s collapse against the Lakers in the 2000 Western Conference Finals.
Smith’s fiery critique was both a defense of basketball’s true legends and a reminder of the delicate balance between confidence and delusion. For Smith, Pippen’s comments weren’t just hyperbolic—they were outright blasphemy in the church of basketball greatness.
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