Scottie Pippen Had To Convince Michael Jordan To Come To Chicago In 2011 To Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of Bulls’ 1st Title: ‘Michael Didn’t Want To Come, He Was Still Angry With The Organization’

Scottie Pippen wrote in his book that he had to convince Michael Jordan to come to the United Center in 2011 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Bulls‘ first NBA title in 1991. 

According to Pippen, Jordan was still angry at the Bulls’ brass for breaking up the dynasty after the sixth title in 1998. 

“In March of 2011, the group got together at the United Center to mark the twentieth anniversary of our first championship,” Pippen wrote. “Michael didn’t want to come. I had to convince him and it wasn’t easy. That’s one of the reasons the Bulls put me on the payroll as an ‘ambassador’ in 2010. To get Michael back into the fold. To show the fans and media we were one big happy family.

“I was playing the same role I did on the court: bringing everyone together. ‘Do it this one time,’ I told MJ,’ and I promise I will never ask you again.’ He was still angry with the organization for not giving us an opportunity to win another championship. Seriously, who else but the Bulls would break up a team after winning it all? Winning not just once, mind you. Three years in a row! Six out of eight!”

The Bulls went 6-0 in the NBA Finals during the Jordan-Pippen era. They three-peated twice and never played in a Game 7. 

Behind Jordan and Pippen, the Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA 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. 

Bulls general manager Jerry Krause told reporters that the 1997-98 season would be Phil Jackson‘s last year in Chicago. Krause told Jackson in private that he would hire a new coach after the campaign even if the Bulls went 82-0 and won the championship.

Krause was a massive distraction for the Bulls in 1997-98 since he was planning for the future. However, Jordan, Pippen and Jackson stayed in the moment and led the Bulls to 62 wins and the championship.

In the summer of 1998, Jordan and Jackson retired and Krause traded Pippen to the Houston Rockets. 

Jordan finished his NBA career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists with the Bulls and Washington Wizards. 

Meanwhile, Pippen averaged 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists with the Bulls, Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.