Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen is best-known, along with basketball icon and poker buddy, Michael Jordon, for being the driving force behind six championships for the Chicago Bulls. The six foot eight star, who retired in 2004, will be remembered by fans as one of NBA’a finest.

Scottie Maurice Pippen was born on September 25^th, 1965 in Hamburg, Arkansas. After showcasing his basketball skills as a small forward while attending the University of Central Arkansas, he was selected fifth in the 1987 NBA Draft.  The Seattle SuperSonics, the team who chose Pippen, immediately traded him to the Chicago Bulls. His debut season with the team proved to be impressive; he played the small forward position during the 1988 playoffs. The team’s collective skills led them to the Eastern Conference semi-finals for the first time in over a decade. With his game continuously improving, Scottie’s debut season was far from the highlight of his career. The following year saw another trip to the Conference Finals for the Bulls, thanks in part to Pippen’s skills. He played in his first NBA All Star Game, and by 1991 was the Bull’s top defense player as well as an essential part of their offense. After being a leading force behind the Bull’s six NBA Championships, Pippen was named as one of the NBA’s Fifty Greatest Players. His stellar defense skills earned him several NBA All-Defensive Team nominations, and he was named a member of the 1992 Dream Team which competed in the Barcelona Olympics.

In 1993, Michael Jordan retired, leaving Pippen to take on the role of team leader. Pippen exceeded all expecatations, establishing himself as one of the best players in the league and earning All-Star Game MVP honors. He led his team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, and topped the league in steals, leaving him with a second All-NBA First Team nod and a third place finish in MVP voting. After a strong season without Jordon, the original leader returned, along with Dennis Rodman and Luc Longely. Their combined efforts resulted in an extraordinary season; they had the best, in fact, of any team in NBA history. It was a fine finish for the Bulls and their leading men. Jordon retired again and Scottie was traded to the Housten Rockets due to his personal conflicts with the team’s general manager. Although he performed well with the Rockets, he was again traded, this time to the Portland Trail Blazers. During his career, Pippen reached the playoffs for an incredible sixteen straight years. He returned to the Bulls in 2003, but stayed for only one season before retiring due to injuries. His career, however, which lasted over a decade, was one of the most impressive in the history of the sport. As a testament to this, Pippen’s jersey number was retired by the Chicago Bulls in 2005, making him only one of four Bull’s members to ever receive the honor.

Since his retirement, Scottie has spent time working as a basketball analyst, special assistant coach and studio analyst. He also spends time with his wife Larsa Younan, who he married in 1997, and their two young sons.