Scottie Pippen

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Pippen's career is defined by his 12 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, where he helped lead the team to six NBA championships. He was a key figure on both the 1992 and 1996 Bulls championship teams, which were selected as two of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History. After his time with the Bulls, Pippen played one season with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers, making the postseason 16 consecutive times. He is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, once for his individual career and once as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic "Dream Team," having been simultaneously inducted for both on August 13, 2010.

In Their Own Story

Pippen was born on September 25, 1965, in Hamburg, Arkansas, to Ethel and Preston Pippen. He grew to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) after a growth spurt at the University of Central Arkansas, where he earned consensus NAIA All-American honors in 1986 and 1987. Drafted fifth overall in the 1987 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the eighth pick, Olden Polynice, and future draft pick options. Pippen made his NBA debut on November 7, 1987, finishing with 10 points, two steals, four assists, and one rebound in 23 minutes as the Bulls won 104–94. He claimed the starting small forward position during the 1988 NBA Playoffs and earned his first All-Star selection in 1990. In the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals, Pippen suffered a severe migraine headache at the start of Game Seven, making only one of his ten field goal attempts as the Bulls lost 93–74. In the 1990–91 season, he had his first triple-double on November 23 with 13 points, 12 assists, and 13 rebounds in a 105–97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Bulls went on to sweep the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals, with Pippen defending effectively against Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. After Michael Jordan retired before the 1993–94 season, Pippen earned All-Star Game MVP honors and led the Bulls in scoring, assists, and blocks, averaging 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. On May 13, 1994, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, Pippen refused to re-enter the game after coach Phil Jackson designed the last play for Toni Kukoč instead of him. Kukoč hit the game-winner, but television cameras caught an unsmiling Phil Jackson storming off the court. In Game 5, with 2.1 seconds left, Pippen was called for a personal foul on Hubert Davis by referee Hue Hollins, a call that television replays indicated was questionable.

Reader's Guide

Pippen is one of the only two NBA players to have won an NBA title and Olympic gold medal in the same year twice, having done so in both 1992 and 1996. He was a part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic "Dream Team" which beat its opponents by an average of 44 points. He wore the number 8 during both Olympic years. The Bulls retired his number 33 on December 8, 2005, and the University of Central Arkansas retired his number 33 on January 21, 2010. In October 2021, Pippen was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He is the father of NBA basketball player Scotty Pippen Jr. and college basketball player Justin Pippen.

Did You Know?

• Pippen is one of only two NBA players to have won an NBA title and Olympic gold medal in the same year twice (1992 and 1996), the other being Jrue Holiday.
• He was a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted for both his individual career and as a member of the 1992 Dream Team on August 13, 2010.
• Pippen grew from 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) during a growth spurt while at the University of Central Arkansas.
• He was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1994.
• Pippen is one of five players to have his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls, alongside Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan, and Derrick Rose.