Scottie Pippen Viewed Himself As Bulls’ Best ‘All-Around Player’ Over Michael Jordan: ‘Before You Jump Down My Throat, Let Me Explain’

In his book, “Unguarded,” NBA icon Scottie Pippen wrote that he viewed himself as the Chicago Bulls‘ best “all-around” player over Michael Jordan. 

“Even before he retired, I had come to the conclusion that I was our best all-around player,” Pippen wrote. “Before you jump down my throat, let me explain. I mean player, not scorer, and there is a big difference. I was the facilitator for the offense and the anchor for the defense, the guy who made everyone else better. They way Magic Johnson was on the Lakers. 

“The chemistry, the caring, the sharing, that was the culture I created and nurtured, not Michael. And that’s the culture that made us champions. Granted, we wouldn’t have been in that position if not for his heroics.”

Jordan retried from the NBA following the Bulls’ third championship in 1993. Chicago went 55-27 in 1993-94 without Jordan. Pippen averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals and 0.8 blocks. He finished third in MVP voting behind Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. 

“From game to game, possession to possession, our opponents didn’t know whom they needed to worry about, quite a contrast from the old days,” Pippen wrote. “The players we added in the offseason were veterans with a high basketball IQ who picked up the nuances of the triangle faster than those who were on the team in 1989. Having four or five guys learn a new system instead of 12 also helped.

“I’d never had so much fun. Without Michael judging every move, no one was afraid to make a mistake.”

The Bulls swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 1994 playoffs. However, Chicago lost to the New York Knicks in the second round in seven games.

Jordan returned to the NBA near the end of the 1994-95 season. The Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 1995 playoffs but won three straight championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. 

Pippen and Jordan won six rings together. The Bulls went 6-0 in the NBA Finals and three-peated twice during the Pippen-Jordan era. 

Pippen took many shots at Jordan in his book. Pippen is upset at Jordan for how The Last Dance doc turned out. 

“In the doc, Michael attempted to justify the occasions in which he berated a teammate in front of the group,” Pippen wrote in his book. “He felt these guys needed to develop the toughness to get past the NBA’s more physical teams. Seeing again how poorly Michael treated his teammates, I cringed, as I did back then.

“Michael was wrong. We didn’t win six championships because he got on guys. We won in spite of his getting on guys. … I was a much better teammate than Michael ever was. Ask anyone who played with the two of us. I was always there with a pat on the back or an encouraging word, especially after he put someone down for one reason or another. I helped the others to believe in and stop doubting themselves. Every player doubts himself at some point. The key is how you deal with those doubts.”