Scottie Pippen Used To Prank Michael Jordan By Putting Toy Snakes In His Bulls Locker: ‘The Look On His Face Was Priceless’

NBA icon Scottie Pippen wrote in his book,” Unguarded,” that he used to prank Michael Jordan by putting toy snakes in his locker. 

Jordan and Pippen won six NBA championships on the Chicago Bulls in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. 

“I felt so relaxed at practice I threw a rubber snake at Michael,” Pippen wrote. “He flinched, as usual. Michael was scared to death of snakes. I used to buy toy snakes and put them in his locker whenever I had the chance. The look on his face was priceless. I couldn’t stop laughing.”

Most NBA fans assumed that Jordan and Pippen were close friends since they were incredible teammates.

However, Pippen wrote 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.”

They may not have been close off the court, but Jordan and Pippen were undoubtedly “connected” on the floor. 

The Bulls were 514-177 in the regular season when Jordan and Pippen played. They went 6-0 in the NBA Finals and three-peated twice in the ’90s. 

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

Pippen had two stints with the Bulls. He averaged 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks.

Pippen, one of the best two-way players in NBA history, made seven All-Star teams, seven All-NBA teams and 10 All-Defensive teams with Chicago. 

Jordan also played for the Bulls twice. He averaged 31.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.9 blocks and won five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and one Defensive Player of the Year.

MJ made 12 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams with Chicago. 

“I don’t usually allow our lack of closeness to bother me,” Pippen wrote. “I have plenty of friends. Yet there are occasions, and watching the doc was definitely one, when I think about the relationship I wish the two of us had, and it hurts. It hurts a lot. By no means am I an innocent party here. I missed some openings that might have made a difference, and I have to live with that.”