Michael Jordan once named the ‘best all-round player’ on the Chicago Bulls team – but never told him directly.

Jordan enjoyed a legendary spell with the Bulls, winning an impressive six NBA championships during his time in Chicago.

He played with some great players, including Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr and Horace Grant.

Not to mention Scottie Pippen, who played alongside ‘MJ’ for every one of his NBA championship triumphs with the Bulls.

Jordan held Pippen in high regard but never told the player himself.

Before the 1992/93 NBA season, Jordan told then-Bulls coach Phil Jackson that Pippen was the ‘best all-round player’ at the Bulls.

In his book via MSN, Pippen wrote: “Something else happened on the way toward the United States capturing the gold medal in Barcelona. I gained respect from a place where it had been absent for the longest time. From Michael Jordan.

“He came to the conclusion that I was the best all-around player on the team – and on occasion even outplayed him. He never told me that himself. That wouldn’t be like him. He told Phil at training in the fall of 1992, and I didn’t hear about it until many years later.

“Either way, that is high praise from someone with three MVPs, and to this day, it means a lot to me.”

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in action for the Chicago Bulls. Image: Getty

Jordan and Pippen had stellar careers with the Bulls.

Most NBA fans thought they were close friends since they were amazing teammates on the court.

However, ‘Pip’ revealed that he and Jordan were never close despite their success together.

“Michael and I aren’t close and never have been,” he wrote. “Whenever I call or text him, he usually gets back to me in a timely fashion, but I don’t check in just to see how he’s doing. Nor does he do the same. Many people might find that hard to believe given how smoothly we connected on the court.

“Away from the court, we are two very different people who have led two very different lives. I was from the country: Hamburg, Arkansas, population about 3,000; he was from the city: Wilmington, North Carolina.”