Scottie Pippen Was Happy Isiah Thomas Didn’t Make ‘The Dream Team’ In ’92: ‘The Chemistry Would Have Been Horrible’

In the summer of 1992, the United States sent NBA stars to Barcelona to compete in the Olympics for the first time. 

The roster, which was named “The Dream Team,” featured Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Christian Laettner and John Stockton.

Jordan, Pippen and Magic were the three faces of “The Dream Team,” which is why Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas wasn’t selected.

Jordan, Pippen and Magic didn’t want Thomas on the team, with Pippen writing in his book, “Unguarded,” that the chemistry would have been horrible had Thomas been selected.

“Looking at his numbers, it would be difficult to argue Isiah wasn’t deserving,” Pippen wrote. “Putting a basketball team together is about more than numbers. It is about chemistry, and with Isiah on the Dream Team, the chemistry would have been horrible.”

Pippen also revealed in his book that Thomas reached out to him to try and patch things up in 2020. 

“In the spring of 2020, while the doc was being aired, Isiah was interested in the two of us declaring a truce,” Pippen wrote. “He reached out to B. J. Armstrong, who called me: ‘Would you be willing to talk to him?’ B.J. asked. Dude, are you kidding me? When I came into the league, he was never nice to me. Why would I want to meet with him now? Isiah is no fool. He knows better than anyone else how poorly he came across in The Last Dance, and with good reason. I wasn’t about to make it easier for him.”

The Pistons were swept by the Chicago Bulls in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. Before Game 4 ended, Thomas and the Pistons walked off the court and didn’t shake hands with the Bulls. 

In 2018, Pippen and Charles Oakley spoke with actor Michael Rapaport for The Players’ Tribune. Pippen, one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history, ripped Thomas when Rapport asked him a question about the Pistons legend. 

“Don’t nobody know who he is anyway,” Pippen said in the YouTube video. “What am I gonna say? He’s a snake. Just saying.”

Pippen and Thomas will never be friends. The two NBA greats had several battles during their playing careers, with Thomas’ Pistons intentionally hurting Pippen and the Bulls.