During a 2021 interview on Good Morning America, Scottie Pippen declared he wanted to be remembered as the ‘greatest of all time.’“When you play the game the way I played it – you play on both ends, why can’t I say that? And say it and mean it.” The best of teammates turned bitter rivals, especially after the Last Dance documentary. On the court, they have six championships. Off the court, Michael Jordan turned his earnings into a billion dollars, and currently, Pip has a $20 million net worth. There is a reason why the latter faced issues building his net worth.

Speaking to Forbes, the Bulls legend first described that the locker room talks were never centered on investments. “I don’t think players talked too much about it.” In 1987, Pip would join the Chicago franchise, and even though there was not much support in the locker room, Bridgeman’s name stood out amongst players. “He was one of those guys we kind of idolized and respected for what he had done,” Scottie Pippen said.

Junior Bridgeman never made an All-Star team; in fact, his final season was in 86-87. Yet, his investing journey into fast-food chains began at the age of 30. It was in 1984, when he was still playing for the Bucks, that the opportunity arose to invest in Wendy’s franchise in Brooklyn. From that moment, it just increased, at its peak in 2015, the total was more than 500 Wendy’s, Chili’s, and Pizza Hut franchises. Let’s remind you he wasn’t a star, but mostly considered a sixth man for the team. Bridgeman’s post-NBA career trajectory is definitely a successful transition from athlete to entrepreneur, leveraging his earnings and business acumen to build substantial wealth outside of basketball stardom.

His earnings also never were more than $350,000 in a single season. But the success of the court flourished. Which is why Scottie Pippen tried his hand with the $40 billion Yum’s Taco Bell. “I didn’t have the bandwidth to do it myself.” The Bulls legend failed with his investment in Taco Bell franchises after his partners forced him out of the deal. Pippen’s experience serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of business partnerships and the importance of due diligence, even for high-profile individuals.

Michael Jordan and his different method of success

His Airness revolutionized the league with his playing style. But before he stepped foot as a pro, his deal with Nike was also unheard of. The deal was initially a five-year, $2.5 million contract in 1984, however, there was one clause that brought more success than any other athlete. The Swoosh company reportedly agreed to pay 5% royalties for every Michael Jordan kicks sold.

As per last year’s reports, Air Jordan alone did 7Billion in sales for Nike. To state it simply, a deal that brings in close to $350 million for the Bulls legend annually. This year, Nike proudly celebrated the 40th anniversary of the partnership with Michael Jordan with their ‘ban campaign’. This signified that the move to sign MJ was the right choice for the company.

On the contrary, Pippen’s current net worth amounts to just $20 million. So, that’s where their destination are different off the court. One is continuing to reap the success of his long partnership. While the other lost the chance to build and add to his net worth.