Scottie Pippen set the standard for the modern “two-way” gameplay that we witness today.
Nicknamed “Pip,” he was the ultimate Swiss Army knife of basketball: scorer, playmaker, and defensive stopper rolled into one.
Pippen could guard all five positions, handle the ball, and run offense like a guard and attack the rim with authority. He impacted every single possession.
On the defensive end, Pippen always took the toughest assignment. It was Pippen’s lockdown defense on Magic Johnson in the 1991 Finals that changed the series and helped launch a dynasty.
When Jordan stepped away in 1993, Pippen carried the Bulls team to 55 wins in the 1993-94 season. Scottie Pippen was the bridge between defense and offense, the glue of the Bulls’ six championships.
6x NBA Champion 7x All-Star 7x All-NBA (3× All-NBA First Team 1994, 1995, 1996; 2× All-NBA Second Team 1992, 1997; 2× All-NBA Third Team 1993, 1998) 10x All-Defensive Team (8× All-Defensive First Team 1992 to 1999 and 2× All-Defense Second Team 1991, 2000) 1994 All-Star Game MVP Hall of Fame (2010)Tell the kids: Scottie Pippen was not just a sidekick, but he was the prototype for modern NBA stars like Kawhi Leonard. He redefined what a forward could do and paved the way for the modern versatile wings.
