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Scottie Pippen - Greatest Bull Forward
Scottie Pippen was drafted out of an NAIA school, University of Central Arkansas. He averaged 23.6 points and 10 rebounds as a senior. The Bull's coveted Scottie, and thought they could get him at number eight, but he didn't last that long. He was originally drafted by the Sonics at #5 before being traded to the Bulls for Olden Polynice and a Number One pick. He started out coming off the bench for the Bulls, and it wasn't until midway through his second year that he stepped regularly into the starting lineup. Therefore, Pippen didn't make the All-Rookie team.
Scottie
has been overshadowed by Bulls and Dream Team teammate superstar
Michael Jordan. Pippen is a star in his own
right, probably the best small forward in the game, and can challenge for
the title as best all around player because he can shoot, rebound, run
the offense, defend like a maniac, hit the clutch shot, let loose the
"three" and strip you of the
ball. He was an integral part of the Bulls three-peat championship team,
and won 2 more rings in 1996 and 1997. Pippen had been named to six
consecutive All-NBA Defensive First Teams (1992-1997) and twice to the
All-Defensive Second Team (1991, 2000). In 1999 he was once again
a First Team Selection. He is also an All-NBA
three-time First Team selection (1994, 1995 and 1996). He also has a
couple All-NBA Second Team (1992 and 1997) and a Third Team (1993)
selection to his name. In 1998 he was once again on the All-NBA Third
Team, even though the first part of the season was wasted to a stint on
the DL. He never misses an All-Star Game (1990 and
1992-97), frequently filling the starting small forward slot. He started
again in 1997 with 1,683,956 votes to finish second to Grant Hill. He was
the AS Game MVP in 1994 scoring 29 points in the absence of Michael.
Scottie also participated in the 1990 slam dunk competition, finishing
fifth.Scottie and Pete Myers became the first pair of teammates to convert four-point plays in a game in 1994. Pippen has been on all 3 Dream Teams. Scottie also had the honor of being named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players of all time. At 6-7 Scottie seems ideally suited to the "3" spot, but he frequently brought the ball up the court as the point guard for a big Bull's Team. On January 21, 1999, the biggest day for deals in the NBA...ever, Scottie was signed to a five year deal worth 67.2 million dollars, then immediately traded to the Rockets for Roy Rogers and a second round pick. Non-coincidentally, Pippen's leaving Chicago followed shortly after Michael Jordan's retirement. Also, non-coincidentally, Charles Barkley imediately signed a one year contract to stay with the Rockets. The Pippen-Barkley experiment fell on rough times as Pippen openly attacked Sir Charles, therefore Houston traded Scottie Pippen to Portland for Stacey Augmon, Kelvin Cato, Ed Gray, Carlos Rogers, Brian Shaw, and Walt Williams. He's had moderate success in Portland, but hasn't done anything near what he accomplished in Chicago.
