Jordan’s Praise Still Resonates: Pippen Recalls Partnership That Fueled Bulls’ Six Titles
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Scottie Pippen says he still feels the impact of Michael Jordan’s words from the 2020 documentary “The Last Dance,” when the Chicago Bulls icon declared, “Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen.” In his book, Pippen wrote that the public acknowledgment—and the messages he received from friends, former teammates and fans that spring—meant a great deal to him.
The statement underscored a basic truth: Jordan did not capture an NBA championship until Pippen joined him. Chicago secured Pippen’s rights in a 1987 draft-night deal with Seattle, and by 1991 the Bulls owned their first title. Five more rings followed as the pair established one of the most successful partnerships in league history.
During Episode 2 of “The Last Dance,” Jordan credited Pippen for shaping his approach to the game, calling him “my best teammate of all time.” With both stars in the lineup, Chicago posted a 514-177 regular-season record. Individually, Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.5 steals, while Pippen contributed 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals, typically guarding the opposition’s top wing scorer.
Pippen’s résumé includes seven All-Star selections, seven All-NBA honors and 10 appearances on the All-Defensive team. Jordan collected five MVP awards, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and a Defensive Player of the Year nod. Both players are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Pippen asked Jordan to introduce him at his 2010 induction ceremony.
Despite their seamless on-court chemistry, Pippen acknowledged that the two were never close away from basketball. “Michael and I aren’t close and never have been,” he wrote, noting their different upbringings—Pippen from rural Hamburg, Arkansas, and Jordan from Wilmington, North Carolina. Still, he recognizes their careers are permanently linked: “The two of us will forever be linked together, the best duo in NBA history. He helped make my dreams come true, as I helped make his.”
Chicago retired Jordan’s No. 23 and Pippen’s No. 33, placing the jerseys side by side in the United Center rafters. More than two decades after their last championship run, no NBA tandem has matched their perfect 6-for-6 Finals record, reinforcing Jordan’s 2020 assertion that one name cannot be mentioned without the other.
Source: Hoops Wire
