Chicago Bulls is one of the most dominating NBA teams of all time. Its trident, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman have led to its sheer popularity since the 90s. But, little do we know about the struggles and intimate drama going behind the scenes of other?prominent players on the team. Pippen, in his interview with ABC News, recently discussed the 7’2 Chicago Bulls legend, an unsung hero from Australia.
The Bulls won six NBA championships in the 90s, including two three-peats. The 7’2 legend played a major role during the second three-peat from 1996 to 98. But who is the legend in question?
Scottie Pippen revealed the Australian lost his confidence
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Luc Longley was the first Australian NBA player. Before becoming a valuable contributor besides Jordan, in Chicago Bulls? six-championship run, he struggled to fit in. His fitting in was a dose of luck. According to Scottie Pippen, Luc kind of lost his confidence at the beginning. He says, “He kind of lost that confidence within himself as to, you know, could he, you know, play in this league? Could he sustain it for 82 games?”
Fitting in definitely was a big change for Luc. He started doubting whether he could survive a big platform such as the NBA and win a championship or survive an entire season. Scottie Pippen further opens up about how Luc wasn?t really ready to begin a successful career right at the beginning of him joining the NBA. Pippen adds, “I think that?s why he kind of lost a bit of himself, his self-esteem, and his confidence.”
However, Pippen believes Longley?s struggles changed once he came to Chicago. The 7?2 legend did find a way to carve a path out for himself, he managed to find a way to really fit into the team despite his struggles.
Luc Longley felt lost
Luc Longley did face difficulties while transitioning to the NBA at the beginning. Standing at 7 ft 2 in tall, Longley found the transition harder than expected. Longley even went ahead to take a short sabbatical and re-develop his game, find his strengths again, and then come back.
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His tough pain and loss of confidence took a turn, and his career took noticeable strides later. His coaching under Phil Jackson and reliance on Scottie Pippen proved a turning point for his successful journey in basketball.
Also read: Luc Longley Reveals How Michael Jordan Pushed Him to Reshape Himself, Unsuccessfully
Despite Longley not being mentally prepared and his struggles, he did manage to win three massive championship rings for Chicago Bulls. This proves that, with hard work and resilience, anything is possible.
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What do you think about Longley?s career journey and his relationship with Scottie Pippen? We?d love to hear your thoughts on this. Comment down below.
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