Scottie Pippen Wanted To Join Bulls As Coach During Derrick Rose Era But Tom Thibodeau Didn’t Want Him Around: ‘I Never Found Out Why’

NBA legend Scottie Pippen wanted to join the Chicago Bulls as a coach during the Derrick Rose era. 

However, Tom Thibodeau didn’t want him around. 

“On several occasions, I brought up the idea with people in the Bulls organization,” Pippen wrote in his book. “They told me Tom Thibodeau, who coached the team from 2010 to 2015, didn’t want me around. I never found out why. Not long after Thibodeau was let go and the Bulls hired Fred Hoiberg, who had been the coach at Iowa State, I realized that I would never be offered a meaningful role in the organization. I moved the family to Florida.”

Pippen is the second-best player in Bulls franchise history behind Michael Jordan.

It’s strange that Thibodeau didn’t want Pippen around. 

Pippen had a positive relationship with Rose, who became the youngest MVP in NBA history during the 2010-11 season. Again, we don’t know why Thibodeau was against bringing the Bulls icon on board. 

Pippen played for the Bulls twice. He averaged 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks.

Pippen won the 1994 All-Star Game MVP Award and made seven All-Star teams, 10 All-Defensive teams and seven All-NBA teams as a member of the Bulls.

Behind Jordan and Pippen, Chicago three-peated twice and went undefeated (6-0) in the NBA Finals in the ’90s.

The Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 Finals, the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1992 Finals, the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 Finals, the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 Finals and the Utah Jazz in the 1997 and 1998 Finals. 

Pippen doesn’t have a relationship with the Bulls present day. Neither does Jordan. Both guys are upset the franchise broke up the dynasty after the sixth championship in 1998. 

Thibodeau is currently the head coach of the New York Knicks, while Rose retired from the NBA in October.

The Bulls recently announced that they will retire Rose’s No. 1 jersey next season. 

Rose will join Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (No. 10), Jordan (No. 23) and Pippen (No. 33) in the United Center rafters.