“Michael Jordan touched my life more than anyone else’s”: Scottie Pippen delivered an emotional tribute for the ‘GOAT’ at his Hall of Fame Induction

Scottie Pippen claimed that Michael Jordan touched his life more than anyone else’s at his Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in 2010. 

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were arguably the greatest duo to have ever played in the NBA. This isn’t set in stone quite yet as many have arguments for duos such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson or Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, but; going 6-0 in the NBA Finals in a single decade should warrant recognition that is second to none. 

Scottie Pippen was the greatest Robin to have ever played in the league and Michael Jordan excelled at being Batman when given a secondary option of the caliber of Scottie Pippen. A player who didn’t require all too many touches per game and was lethal on the defensive end of the floor, all while being a great facilitator on the offensive end to generate offense when Jordan was off the floor.

Also read: “In Dwyane Wade, I saw a mixture of Penny Hardaway and Kobe Bryant”: Shaquille O’Neal revealed his motivation for demanding Lakers to trade him to Miami Heat in 2004

Despite the success they enjoyed on the court, off it, the two All-Defensive talents weren’t all too close with one another. “We never really had that off-court relationship. Michael had his power and control. He established that years before I got there,” said Pippen in a recent interview with GQ. 

Scottie Pippen gave Michael Jordan his props at his own Hall of Fame Induction. 

Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and merely a year later, the HoF saw the arrival of Jordan’s right-hand man: Scottie Pippen. His Induction ceremony had several, notable NBA figures in attendance but none came close to be mentioned in the same breath as Jordan.  

During Pippen’s speech, he surprisingly gave a heartfelt tribute to the 5x MVP and attributed a ton of his success to no.23. “MJ, you have touched so many lives but none like mines. Thank you for being the best teammate. I will always cherish that experience and will cherish our relationship forever. Thank you.”

Scottie Pippen thanks Michael Jordan for presenting him to the Naismith Hall of Fame 😅 pic.twitter.com/H50aWdPAJ6

— Jumpman History (@HistoryJumpman) June 28, 2021

Also read: “Biggie, Jay Z and Nas are the only rappers who finished our recordings in one take”: When Shaq revealed how he and the legendary East Coast rapper collaborated for a hit record

Fast forward to today and both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen reportedly haven’t spoken to one another since the release of the Last Dance docuseries. It’s quite unfortunate that the greatest duo in the history of the league has had such an up-and-down relationship over the past 3+ decades.