“Michael Jordan was a little bit distant”: Scottie Pippen reveals his reasoning behind having a subpar first impression of the Bulls legend

Scottie Pippen revealed that Michael Jordan was a bit distant when they were first on the Chicago Bulls together, leading to an average first impression. 

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are widely regarded as the greatest duo in the history of this NBA. After having won 6 championships together in the span of an eight-year window, including 2 separate 3-peats, it’s quite difficult to have an argument that refutes the aforementioned statement. 

Both All-NBA wings were some of the most menacing defensive players of their era and helped bring the intensity on that end of the floor while also sticking to their roles on the offensive end of the floor as well. After spending 11 years together on the Chicago Bulls, it would make sense that Jordan and Pippen were tight on and off the court.

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This however, is not the case as Scottie Pippen has revealed in the past that him and Michael Jordan never really clicked off NBA hardwood. Given how incredible their chemistry was when together on the curt, this was a tough pill to swallow for many Bulls fans. 

Scottie Pippen reveals that Michael Jordan was a bit distant during their first encounter. 

Scottie Pippen was traded from the Seattle SuperSonics to the Chicago Bulls on Draft night in 1987 due to the fact that Jerry Krause was enamored by him and wanted to pair him up with Michael Jordan. This, of course, was an incredible decision to make given what ensued merely a few years later but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows from the get-go. 

Michael Jordan isn’t the easiest person to get through to in terms of creating a bond and Scottie found this out quite early on in his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. “Michael was a little distant. He was more competitive, that was kind of his drive in those days.”

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This is understandable considering the fact that Michael Jordan hadn’t won anything substantial at the time. His 1987 season saw him snag MVP and DPOY along with the scoring title but he hadn’t moved the needle in terms of winning a championship. 

Pippen’s arrival didn’t bring success right away either as they lost to the Detroit Pistons in the Playoffs from 1988 to 1990 before finally sweeping them in 1991.