Everybody talks about Michael Jordan when referring to the Chicago Bulls’ historic dynasty and for good reason. Still, Scottie Pippen was equally as important to the team’s success and he doesn’t seem to get enough credit for his contributions.
Obviously, Jordan was the face, the leader, and the finisher. He was the best player in the world and the most dominant athlete in the history of the game. Pippen, on the other hand, worked in silence and did all of the dirty work needed to hold together the team.
Needless to say, that made Pippen’s image take a bump to the eyes of the people. He was viewed as Michael Jordan’s Robin, but truth to be told, he was one of the most skilled players to ever set foot on an NBA hardwood.
If you don’t take our word for it, just listen to his ex-teammate Dennis Rodman, who went as far as to claim that Pippen was the best player in the league during Michael Jordan’s first retirement, even though he struggled to lead the Bulls to the same kind of success:
“If you notice about Scottie Pippen, when Michael Jordan left in ’93, ’94, ’95 — Scottie Pippen was the best player in the world. If people didn’t know that — he led the team in every category. Every category. Scottie got his wings in 1991 when they beat the Detroit Pistons. He got his wings then, and he started on that tram from winning three championships. When Michael left, Scottie took over and next thing you know he was the best player in the world. People don’t know that,” Rodman said in an interview.
Pippen averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and a league-leading 2.9 steals per game right after Jordan’s retirement. However, Hakeem Olajuwon dominated during that brief hiatus and took his Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA Championships.
We need to start putting some respect on Pippen’s name. He was once considered the best two-way small forward in the history of the game for good reason.
"When Michael Jordan left in '93 … Scottie Pippen was the best player in the world."
—Dennis Rodman pic.twitter.com/AppK0XjHTt
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 20, 2020
