Scottie Pippen surprised the world after deciding to go on a 3-game trip across Europe following his retirement from NBA basketball. At the age of 42, the 6x champion played in Sweden and Finland while earning $66,000 for a 21-point display. The story recently resurfaced as Swish Cultures broke down the details of the matter via an Instagram post.
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The trip happened in January of 2008, nearly four years after Pippen retired from the NBA. Initially, he landed in Finland to represent the then-top team of the Finnish league, Torpan Pojat, for two games. As per Swish Cultures, those appearances resulted in him accumulating $100,000 before guiding the team on track to win the Championship.
His Europe stint took him to Sweden next as he led the Sundsvall Dragons to a 102-74 win over Akropal of Rinkeby. Featuring for 30 minutes, Pippen registered a double-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. This display earned him a further $66,000 before the maestro returned to the USA.
Interestingly, the Bulls legend had provided his thoughts on the trip soon after its conclusion. He told ESPN, “I spent five days here [Sweden] before I played, which gave me an opportunity to rest a little bit and train with my teammates…I think the first two games really took the rust out, and this game was a lot better. I didn’t get too tired tonight.”
This series of games captured his admiration for the game while highlighting his heart as a competitor. His inclination toward promoting the game outside of the United States provided a fitting end to his playing career.
Scottie Pippen was not the only Chicago Bulls player to represent ToPo
Five years after departing from the NBA, a 44-year-old Dennis Rodman represented the Finnish team ToPo in 2005. Along with his manager, the basketball icon clinched a deal of $100,000 to play one game for the organization. Upon the finalization of talks at a bar in Finland, the 2x DPOY suited up for ToPo despite not touching the basketball for three months.
His display shocked the viewers as the 5x champion dominated from beyond the arc. He attempted six three-pointers in the first half and seven in the following half while registering 5-of-13 from behind the three-point line. On top of it, Rodman facilitated the offensive plays throughout the game, showcasing his basketball prowess.
This captured the difference in skill set between the players from two continents at that time while solidifying the legacy of the Chicago Bulls stars abroad.
