The Chicago Bulls had a dynasty unrivaled by any other team at the time. They might even be the best team to have been assembled. Much of that credit goes to Michael Jordan, but people overlook the contributions of one man, Scottie Pippen.
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Currently, in the news for his ex-wife dating Jordan’s son, Scottie’s legacy isn’t just that of a sad man who lost his wife to a teammate’s kid. He was, in fact, the reason behind the Bulls’ success. Until he was drafted, MJ tried his best but could not get past the first round of the playoffs.
The greatest serial winner of all time could not get past the first round. Shocking. It was that bad for the Bulls, and one man’s arrival changed their fortunes. Pippen was that great, not just as an offensive starter but as a defensive stalwart.
What were his numbers, you may ask? Scottie has a career average of 2 steals a game, and in the 1994–95 season, he had a whopping 2.9 steals. At the peak of his powers, Pippen had a defensive rating that never went above 104.
All of this went unnoticed by the casual fan because Michael was busy getting all the points. Scottie was a no-nonsense tough player who could guard just about anyone.
Iman Shumpert certainly thinks he was one of the best to do it because he wasn’t afraid to guard a center. And keep in mind Shumpert played with LeBron James, another fierce defender.
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Iman Shumpert believes that Pip was a great defender
Growing up near the windy city, Shump was a Bulls “super fan.” The state of Illinois is crazy about its sporting teams, and before Jordan revolutionized the game, they still went. They’d never won a championship before and hadn’t since the band had disbanded.
Watching them made a future NBA player realize one thing: Scottie Pippen was a defensive anchor. He could block avenues you didn’t know existed, and he forced you to make the mistake you desperately didn’t want to commit.
While most modern players would recoil at the prospect of guarding 7-footers, a small forward like Scottie had no qualms about guarding opposing big men. It was this one moment during games that caught Shump’s eye.
He knew he was great from then on. Anyone who didn’t back down when guarding an Orlando Shaq, a Rockets Olajuwon, or a Knicks Ewing was a great defender.
Scottie claimed that he would be a DPOY had it not been for the world training its eyes on Jordan. There is statistical evidence to back that up!
Scottie Pippen worked tirelessly to make Michael Jordan great – it is time people recognized his contributions to the game
A 7x All-Star, with averages of 18.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2 SPG, and 5 assists per game. Scottie did it all. Even in his last season in the league, his defensive rating never rose above 105. Granted, he only played about 25 games, but that number still shows how well he defended.
Players like him come along once in a lifetime. Just watch Khris Middleton. Playing second fiddle to Giannis Antetoukounmpo now, people will surely tend to overlook their contribution—the star man is shining bright.
They were brought on for that exact same reason as well—it hurt sometimes to see another man take the limelight you deserve. That explains why, nearly 20 years after retiring, Scottie Pippen ran ads proclaiming himself the greatest Bulls player ever.
It may look like a joke, but that one statement stuck with him forever.
