Michael Jordan Considers Scottie Pippen His Best Teammate Ever For 1 Simple Reason: ‘I Didn’t Win Without Scottie’

Chicago Bulls legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen won six NBA titles together and went undefeated in the Finals in the ’90s.

They are universally recognized as the best duo in NBA history. 

Many people tend to forget that Jordan never won a playoff series until the Bulls acquired Pippen, which is why Jordan considers Pippen his best teammate of all time. 

“I would never be able to find a tandem, another support system, another partner in the game of basketball like Scottie Pippen,” Jordan said in Episode 2 of The Last Dance docuseries. “He was a pleasure to play with. He helped me so much in the way that I approached the game, the way I played the game. Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen. 

“Everybody says well I won all these championships, but I didn’t win without Scottie Pippen. And that’s why I consider him my best teammate of all time.”

The Bulls were 514-177 in the regular season when Jordan and Pippen played.

Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.8 blocks alongside Pippen, while Pippen averaged 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks next to Jordan. 

Pippen had two stints with the Bulls. He averaged 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks.

Pippen, one of the greatest two-way players in NBA history, made seven All-Star teams, seven All-NBA teams and 10 All-Defensive teams with Chicago. 

Jordan also played for the Bulls twice. He averaged 31.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.9 blocks and won five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and one Defensive Player of the Year.

MJ made 12 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams with Chicago. 

Most NBA fans assumed that Jordan and Pippen were close friends since they were amazing teammates.

However, Pippen wrote in his book that he and Jordan were never close. 

“Michael and I aren’t close and never have been,” Pippen wrote. “Whenever I call or text him, he usually gets back to me in a timely fashion, but I don’t check in just to see how he’s doing. Nor does he do the same. Many people might find that hard to believe given how smoothly we connected on the court. 

“Away from the court, we are two very different people who have led two very different lives. I was from the country: Hamburg, Arkansas, population about 3,000; he was from the city: Wilmington, North Carolina.”