Scottie Pippen ‘Thought About Asking’ Julius Erving To Present Him Into Hall Of Fame Before Ultimately Going With Michael Jordan: ‘There Really Was No Other Choice, So What If Michael And I Weren’t Best Friends?’

NBA legend Scottie Pippen “thought about asking” Julius Erving to present him into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. 

However, Pippen ultimately went with the guy he won six championships with, NBA icon Michael Jordan. 

“For the Hall of Fame ceremony, I needed to choose an official presenter, a person to stand on the stage with me as I delivered my remarks,” Pippen wrote in his book. “That individual is required to be a member of the Hall. I thought about asking Dr. J since he was the player I idolized growing up. Except I barely knew him. Instead I picked someone I knew quite well, whose greatness I observed up close, day after day, year after year.

“There really was no other choice. So what if Michael and I weren’t best friends? The two of us will forever be linked together, the best duo in NBA history. He helped make my dreams come true, as I helped make his. He said yes right away and I was extremely grateful.”

The Chicago Bulls went 6-0 in the NBA Finals and three-peated twice in the Pippen-Jordan era. Chicago won the title in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. 

“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 went 514-177 in the regular season when Pippen and Jordan played. 

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

Chicago beat 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. 

Most NBA fans presumed Pippe and Jordan were close friends since they were exceptional teammates.

However, Pippen noted 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.”

Pippen and Jordan haven’t spoken since 2020. They may never talk again.