Scottie Pippen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Position | Small forward |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Pip |
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Weight | 228 lb (104 kg) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Born | September 25, 1965 (age 41) Hamburg, Arkansas |
| College | Central Arkansas |
| Draft | 5th overall, 1987 Seattle SuperSonics |
| Pro career | 1987–2004 |
| Former teams | Chicago Bulls 1987-1998 Houston Rockets 1998-1999 Portland Trail Blazers 1999-2003 Chicago Bulls 2003-2004 |
Scottie Maurice Pippen (born September 25, 1965 in Hamburg, Arkansas) is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is most remembered for leading the Chicago Bulls together with Michael Jordan to six championships and being one of the best all-around players of all time.
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[edit] NBA career
[edit] Early career
Scottie Pippen grew up in Hamburg, Arkansas, attending college at University of Central Arkansas. At the start of his college career, the then 6'1" Pippen was a walk-on for the NAIA school and depended on his stipend for being the team manager and his summer job as a welder to fund his education.[1] In those four years, however, Pippen grew to a height of 6'7" and improved enough by his senior year to be considered a viable NBA prospect. Pippen's performance in the pre-draft Portsmouth Invitational Tournament also improved his draft stock dramatically. He was selected fifth overall in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who immediately traded him to the Chicago Bulls for the eighth pick, 7-ft center Olden Polynice. The trade is regarded as a steal by the Bulls as Pippen would go on to become one of the Top 50 NBA players of all time.
Pippen immediately became part of Chicago's young forward tandem with 6'10" (2.08 m) power forward Horace Grant, though both came off the bench to back up Brad Sellers and Charles Oakley, respectively, during their rookie seasons. Pippen claimed the starting small forward position during the 1988 playoffs with his stellar play, helping the Michael Jordan-led Bulls reach the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in over a decade.
[edit] The Bulls' first three-peat
Pippen continued to improve, helping the Bulls to the Conference Finals the following year as well as 1990, when he earned his first NBA All-Star Game berth. However, in the Conference Finals versus the rival Detroit Pistons, Pippen would suffer a migraine headache prior to the deciding Game 7 which would greatly affect his performance. In 1991, he continued to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with. Pippen emerged as the Bull's primary defensive stopper and an indispensable offensive threat. He helped lead the Bulls to six NBA Championships (1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, and 1997–98). Pippen was selected as one of the NBA's Fifty Greatest Players when the league was celebrating its fiftieth season in 1996.
Pippen became known for stellar defense in addition to his consistent scoring, earning 10 NBA All-Defensive Team nods, including 8 on the first team. In 1992, he was named to the original Dream Team which competed in the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
| Olympic medal record | |||
| Men's Basketball | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 1992 Barcelona | United States | |
| Gold | 1996 Atlanta | United States | |
[edit] Pippen without Jordan
Michael Jordan unexpectedly retired in 1993, and the 1994 season marked Pippen's stepping out from Jordan's shadow and he performed as one of the best players in the league. That year, he earned All-Star Game MVP honors. He had perhaps his best season, leading the Bulls in scoring, assists, and the entire league in steals, averaging 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals, 0.9 three-pointers, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting 49.1% from the field and a career-best 32% from the three-point line. For his efforts, he earned the first of three straight All-NBA First Team nods, and finished third in the MVP voting. The Bulls finished the season with 55 wins, only two less than their previous championship year with Jordan still on the team.
Perhaps the most infamous episode of Pippen's career came in the post-season of Pippen's first year without Jordan, the 1993-94 playoffs, where the Eastern Conference semifinals pitted the Bulls against their bitter rivals, the New York Knicks. On May 13, 1994, down 2-0 in the series and tied 102-102 in Game Three, Bulls coach Phil Jackson needed a big play from his team to have any hope of advancing to the next round of the playoffs. With 1.8 seconds left and the score tied, Jackson designed the last play for Toni Kukoč, with Pippen relegated to simply inbounding the basketball. Pippen, who had been the Bulls' leader all season long in Jordan's absence, was so angered by Jackson's decision to not let him take the potential game-winner that he refused to leave the bench and re-enter the game when the timeout was over.
Although Kukoč did eventually hit the game-winner, a 23-foot fadeaway jumper, there was little celebrating to be done by the Bulls, as television cameras caught an unsmiling Phil Jackson storming out of the arena. "Scottie asked out of the play," Jackson would tell reporters moments later in the post-game interview room. Those seeking further answers found Pippen in the locker room after the game, looking shell-shocked and disoriented; when asked to confirm Jackson's statement, Pippen could only respond with "Yeah, pretty much ... We exchanged words, and I just took a seat."
Teammate Steve Kerr elaborated when recently asked to recall the event: "I was shocked," he said. "The only way to describe it was total disbelief. Here was a guy who had done so much for our team, who had been our leader all year long. He was, and still is, one of the greatest teammates I've ever had. But on that day, I think all the pressure and frustration of our season caught up with him, and he snapped." Pippen later apologized to his teammates after the incident.
The Bulls went on to lose the 1994 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks in seven games. A second controversy occurred in the series at the end of game 5 when Pippen was called for a debatable foul on the Knicks' Hubert Davis in the waning seconds of the game, which allowed the Knicks to win game 5. Had that foul not been called, the Bulls would have been in the Eastern Conference finals and Scottie Pippen may have won a title without Michael Jordan. Finally, it should also be noted that one of Scottie Pippen's and the NBA's most famous dunks occurred during the series with Pippen slam-dunking the ball over star center Patrick Ewing.
Trade rumors escalated during the 1994 off-season that Jerry Krause, the Bulls General Manager who did not get along with Pippen, was looking to ship Pippen off to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Shawn Kemp, moving Toni Kukoč into Pippen's position as starting small forward with Kemp filling in the vacant starting power forward position in place of Horace Grant, who left the Bulls via free agency during the off-season for the Orlando Magic. However, the trade was never made and those rumors were put to rest once it was announced that Michael Jordan was returning to the Bulls late in the 1994-1995 season. Pippen finished the 94-95 season leading the Bulls in every major statistical category: assists, rebounds, points, steals, and blocks [Jordan averaged more points, but did not qualify since he only played 19 games]. Pippen is only one of five players in NBA history to accomplish this feat.
[edit] The Bulls' second three-peat
Upon Jordan's return to the NBA, the Bulls regained their much needed strength. With a revamped roster that included Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley, the Bulls managed to post the best regular season record for any team in NBA history (72-10) en route to winning their fourth title. The next season they finished 69-13 and lost out on the opportunity to win 70 games in back-to-back seasons by losing 2 of their final 3 games. Nonetheless they again won the title. They followed up by winning again in 1997-98 to cap their second threepeat.
[edit] Later career
After playing in Chicago for 11 seasons, his tumultuous relationship with General Manager Jerry Krause came to a head, and as Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson also departed Chicago, the second all-time leader in points, assists, and steals in Bulls franchise history was traded to the Houston Rockets for the lockout-shortened season in 1998–99. Pippen's trade to Houston received a lot of publicity including his only solo cover of Sports Illustrated.[2] While there he teamed with Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley to form one of the best front lines in NBA history, but his failure to assume the "franchise" mantle from Olajuwon led to chemistry problems (with Barkley in particular) and eventually his departure.
On April 22, 1999, Pippen was detained under suspicion of driving while intoxicated,[3] but the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
He was traded in the offseason to the Portland Trail Blazers, who he helped to the Western Conference finals, where they lost to the eventual champion, the Los Angeles Lakers, in seven games despite holding a 15 point lead in the fourth quarter of game seven. Pippen played on for several more seasons in Portland, but they never again advanced that far in the playoffs. After the 2002-03 season he re-signed with the Chicago Bulls. However, due to injury problems he was only able to suit up for 23 games in 2003-04 and retired shortly after the season.
For the most part, Pippen was the consummate playoff performer, reaching the playoffs 16 straight years (11 with Chicago, 1 with Houston, 4 with Portland), and has played in more playoff games than any NBA player except Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Horry. In the summer of 2003, new Bulls General Manager (and former Pippen teammate) John Paxson attempted to change the fortunes of the rebuilding Bulls by bringing Scottie back to Chicago. However, Pippen's effectiveness was drastically limited by injuries, and he retired prior to the 2004-05 season on October 5, 2004.
Pippen is considered among the best all-around players in NBA history and is also notable for having been a prototypical "point forward", a term which he popularized (and revitalized) with his ball-handling, passing and court vision—skills traditionally limited to point guards. This was in addition to his rebounding, scoring, and defense, all contributing to his consistent play for over a decade.
[edit] Retirement
After retiring, he spent some time working as a basketball analyst for the Chicago Bulls. Currently, he is a special assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 25, 2005, Pippen debuted as studio analyst for the NBA on ABC. Before this he was a part-time analyst for ESPN.
Pippen is an avid poker player and frequently participated in high-stakes games with teammates Jordan and Ron Harper when the Bulls were on the road.
The Chicago Bulls retired Pippen's jersey number in December 9, 2005, ceremony. Pippen's jersey number, 33, joins Jordan's 23, Jerry Sloan's 4 and Bob Love's 10 as the only four numbers retired by the Bulls.
Pippen has two children and is married to Assyrian-American Larsa Younan and lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Pippen is often known to leave relatively poor tips for service personnel who wait on him. A 1997 article in Sports Illustrated named him one of the three biggest "skinflints" in the NBA, along with Kevin Garnett and Shawn Kemp, and noted that restaurant workers at one eatery had given him the nickname "No Tippin' Pippen".[4] It is not known if since 1997 he has changed his tipping habits.
On March 13, 2007, Pippen was stopped by Arkansas State Police on Interstate 430 just north of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. While ticketing Pippen for speeding the trooper involved detected an odor of marijuana. When questioned Pippen admitted that marijuana was in the center console of the truck cab but claimed that marijuana was not his. Pippen's 56 year-old brother, Billy Clyde Pippen, was in the truck and told the officer that the marijuana belonged to him. Billy Pippen was taken into custody, transported to the Jefferson County Jail and charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. [5]
[edit] Return
ESPN reported in February 2007 that Pippen was contemplating a return to the NBA. Having been forced to retire three years prior due to a knee injury, Pippen expressed hope to play for an NBA team for the last two months of the 2006-2007 season.[6] Pippen has announced on the Dan Le Batard show that the Miami Heat would be his preferred place to play. At the 2007 All-Star game, Pippen returned to the NBA hardwood as a participant in the Haier Shooting Stars competition. Although his squad was disqualified due to an infraction committed during his two teammates' respective turns, Pippen showed that his shooting skills were still present when he made his three point shots in less than a few tries, most notable of all was his shot from half court which would have made his squad the winner of the competition. Pippen's announcement of a possible return to the NBA came one day after a $5 million USD settlement against him was upheld for breach of a contract, suggesting another reason for Pippen's return. The teams that have potential interest in signing him include Miami, Cleveland, San Antonio, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Charles Barkley has been one of several that have been skeptical of Pippen's return, comparing the chances of that to his desire of being thin (Barkley has been known to poke fun at his own weight frequently). [1]
In a March 2007 article in Mercury News, Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson says he has talked with 41-year-old Scottie Pippen about making a comeback with the team. "I did get in touch with Scottie", Jackson said before a Lakers ball game, "but it was just preliminary talk about how he's doing, where he's at and how he feels. I would say he kind of talked about the parameters of what he thinks he can do to help." Jackson said. [7]
[edit] Achievements and records
- Pippen holds the NBA record for most career assists for a forward.[8]
- Pippen holds the NBA record for most career steals for a forward.[9]
- Pippen holds the NBA record for most career steals in the NBA Playoffs (395).[10]
- Pippen recorded 20 career triple-doubles.[11]
- Led NBA in Steals (232) and Steals Per Game (2.9) in 1994-95 season.
- Chicago Bulls Career Leader in Three-Point Field Goals Made (664), Three-Point Field Goals Attempted (2,031) and Personal Fouls (2,534).
[edit] References
- ^ nba.com/history, Scottie Pippen, accessed February 13, 2007
- ^ si.cnn.com, SI Covers Search, accessed January 29, 2007 Note: enter Scottie Pippen in the SI Covers Search box
- ^ sportsillustrated.cnn.com, Pippen arrested on suspicion of DWI, Associated Press, published April 22, 1999, accessed September 21, 2006.
- ^ Phil Taylor, "Hot (and Cold) Tippers", Sports Illustrated, November 5, 1997, retrieved April 8, 2006.
- ^ http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0307/405276.html
- ^ espn.com, Pippen says he wants to play for contender, accessed February 16, 2007
- ^ [mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/basketball/nba/golden_state_warriors/16836656.htm Lakers' Jackson Talking With Scottie Pippen For A Possible Comeback]
- ^ http://www.databasebasketball.com/leaders/playerseasonsearch.htm
- ^ http://www.databasebasketball.com/leaders/playerseasonsearch.htm
- ^ nba.com/history, All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders, accessed February 15, 2007
- ^ nba.com, Scottie Pippen page, accessed February 15, 2007
[edit] External links
- ESPN "Bulls retire Pippen's no. 33"
- NBA profile for Scottie Pippen
- ESPN Scottie Pippen player profile
- ClutchFans.net Profile - Houston Rocket Fan Site
| 1992 Olympic Champions Men's Basketball – "Dream Team" |
|---|
| Charles Barkley | Larry Bird | Clyde Drexler | Patrick Ewing | Magic Johnson | Michael Jordan Christian Laettner | Karl Malone | Chris Mullin | Scottie Pippen | David Robinson | John Stockton |
| Coach: Chuck Daly |
| 1996 Olympic Champions Men's Basketball – United States |
|---|
| Charles Barkley | Penny Hardaway | Grant Hill | Karl Malone | Reggie Miller | Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal | Gary Payton | Scottie Pippen | Mitch Richmond | David Robinson | John Stockton |
| Coach: Lenny Wilkins |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Pippen, Scottie Maurice |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Professional basketball player and commentator |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 25, 1965 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hamburg, Arkansas |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
Categories: 1965 births | African American basketball players | Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics | Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics | Chicago Bulls players | Houston Rockets players | Los Angeles Lakers players | Living people | National Basketball Association broadcasters | Olympic competitors for the United States | Olympic gold medalists for the United States | People from Arkansas | Portland Trail Blazers players
