Dennis Rodman once let the world know how underrated legend Scottie Pippen was. It is clear that Pippen didn’t receive as much praise or acknowledgement as his teammates Dennis Rodman and Michal Jordan did. So back in 2020, Rodman talked about Pippen and how he influenced the game of basketball.
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Scottie Pippen, according to Rodman, was a brilliant all-around player who could shoot, rebound, and defend exceedingly well. And the statistics supported Rodman’s claim. Pippen played 1178 games in the NBA, averaging 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Larry Bird was another outstanding forward of his generation. But, according to Dennis Rodman, Pippen was far better than Larry Bird because he could play multiple positions.
Rodman revealed, in a 2020 ESPN article, “He revolutionized the point-forward position.”?And he also felt like all the players of this generation like Kevin Durant should say ”Wow, look what you did for us.” And thank Pippen for his contribution to the game.
Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen’s relationship
Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman didn’t have the same friendship as they have today. The start of this relationship was pretty rocky as Rodman allegedly pushed him towards the stanchion during a game between the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons in 1991. It was such a cheap shot that injured Pippen and he had six stitches as a result.
Before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1995. Matt Dobek, director of public relations of Detrioit Piston, made Dennis Rodman write an apology letter to Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls. And after being traded, Scottie and Rodman felt like their games are similar and became good friends. They both shared the same intellect, energy, power in defense, and ability to change the game.
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Rodman also went on to say, “If LeBron James was playing during the ’90s, I’d still say Scottie Pippen was the second-best player behind Michael Jordan.” This is quite controversial but at the same time, it shows the influence of Pippen on the game. Furthermore, Pippen got inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2010 twice. First for his individual great career and second as a member of the Dream team.
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What is your favorite Scottie Pippen moment? Do tell us in the comment section.