Scottie Pippen was an NBA stalwart in the 1990s but ran into some trouble with the law heading into the 2000s.
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The Chicago Bulls and Scottie Pippen had status worthy of kings in the NBA in the 90s. However, after their “Last Dance” commenced a tough period for almost all involved.
With Michael Jordan retiring and Phil Jackson moving on, the Bulls decided to rebuild. And Scottie Pippen was part of the outgoings. Pippen earned a trade to the Houston Rockets, who were aiming to extend their championship window.
Also read: WATCH: The Only Time Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen Played an NBA Game Against Each Other
With Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon, the former Bull was expected to complete a big three at Houston. Fate, however, wasn’t kind to the star union at Houston. For various reasons, the “big three” experiment failed, and Pippen was traded away at the end of the 1998-1999 season.
Failure on the court wasn’t the only trouble Pippen faced in Houston, though. Scottie was also arrested for running a red light while being inebriated in April 1999.
What came of the driving under influence charge raised against Scottie Pippen in Houston?
As per reports, Scottie Pippen ran a red light in the early hours of April 22, 1999, in downtown Houston. A sobriety test followed, which the Rockets star failed, while also refusing to take a breath analyzer test.
Pippen was subsequently hit with a “misdemeanor driving while intoxicated” charge. However, citing a lack of evidence, the former Bulls forward was let off on a $500 bail bond without much ado.
It isn’t uncommon for superstars with million-dollar cheques to be involved in similar charges. Although Pippen got let off quite easily, this was part of his Houston experience, which in totality was a bust.
Add beef with teammate Charles Barkley and a lot of sulking to a charge for violating the law and you get an idea of the turmoil surrounding Pippen in Houston. No ring followed, and an immediate divorce too.
What led to a beef between Charles Barkley and Pippen in Houston?
When two big egos try to prove a point and both fail, sparks are bound to fly. The union at Houston wasn’t the first time Pippen and Barkley played as teammates – both of them were part of the 1992 Dream Team.
However, the circumstances, as we know them, were entirely different. Houston is no Barcelona, after all.
The relationship was destined to fail, in a way. It all began with Charles Barkley taking a pay cut to accommodate Scottie’s big contract in Houston and later taking jibes at Pippen for the same.
Add Chuck’s injuries and infamous conditioning and it all translated to a lack of dedication to Scottie, a serial winner. Both stars didn’t help by being outspoken in a volatile situation either. And, naturally, beef followed.
The Chuck – Scottie beef is one of the most high-profile beefs between teammates in NBA history. While the star pairing lasted only one season, the beef left a sour taste for quite some time.
