Scottie Pippen facts for kids

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Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen in 2022

Personal information

Born

September 25, 1965 (age 59)
Hamburg, Arkansas, U.S.

High school

Hamburg (Hamburg, Arkansas)

Listed height

6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

Listed weight

228 lb (103 kg)

Career information

College

Central Arkansas (1983–1987)

NBA Draft

1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall

Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics

Pro career

1987–2004, 2008

Career history

1987–1998

Chicago Bulls

1999

Houston Rockets

1999–2003

Portland Trail Blazers

2003–2004

Chicago Bulls

2008

Torpan Pojat

2008

Sundsvall Dragons

Career highlights and awards

6× NBA champion (1991–1993, 1996–1998)
7× NBA All-Star (1990, 1992–1997)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (1994)
3× All-NBA First Team (1994–1996)
2× All-NBA Second Team (1992, 1997)
2× All-NBA Third Team (1993, 1998)
8× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1992–1999)
2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991, 2000)
NBA steals leader (1995)
NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
No. 33 retired by Chicago Bulls
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1996)
2× Consensus NAIA All-American (1986, 1987)
No. 33 retired by Central Arkansas Bears

Career NBA statistics

Points

18,940 (16.1 ppg)

Rebounds

7,494 (6.4 rpg)

Assists

6,135 (5.2 apg)

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Gold	1992 Barcelona	Team competition
Gold	1996 Atlanta	Team competition
FIBA Americas Championship
Gold	1992 Portland	Men's basketball

Scottie Pippen (born September 25, 1965) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Pippen won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Many people think he is one of the best small forwards ever. He helped make the Bulls a championship team and made the NBA popular worldwide in the 1990s.

Pippen was chosen for the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight times in a row. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team three times. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award in 1994. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. The Chicago Bulls retired his jersey number 33, meaning no other Bulls player will wear it. He was a key player on the 1992 and 1996 Chicago Bulls Championship teams. These teams are considered two of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame says Pippen could run the court like a point guard. He could also grab rebounds like a power forward and shoot like a shooting guard. During his 17-year career, he played 12 seasons with the Bulls. He also played one season with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers. He made it to the playoffs 16 times in a row. In 2021, Pippen was again honored as one of the league's greatest players. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Pippen is one of only two NBA players to win an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal in the same year twice. He did this in 1992 and 1996. He was part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic "Dream Team". This team beat its opponents by a huge average of 44 points. He was also important to the 1996 Olympic team. He wore the number 8 in both Olympics.

Pippen is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. Once for his own career and once as a member of the "Dream Team." Both inductions happened on August 13, 2010. The Bulls retired his number 33 on December 8, 2005. The University of Central Arkansas also retired his number 33 on January 21, 2010.

He is the father of basketball player Scotty Pippen Jr..

Early Life and College Career

Pippen was born in Hamburg, Arkansas. He was one of 12 children. His parents were tall, and Scottie was the tallest of his siblings. His father worked in a paper mill until he had a stroke. This stroke made it hard for his father to walk and speak.

Pippen went to Hamburg High School. He played point guard and helped his team reach the state playoffs. Even though he was good, no colleges offered him scholarships at first.

He started his college career at the University of Central Arkansas. The coach, Don Dyer, found him as a walk-on player. Pippen was only 6 feet 1 inch tall when he finished high school. But he grew to 6 feet 8 inches while in college. He became a dominant player. As a senior, he averaged 23.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. His great play caught the attention of NBA scouts.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Chicago Bulls (1987–1998)

Starting His NBA Journey (1987–1990)

The Chicago Bulls wanted Pippen in the 1987 NBA draft. They made a trade with the Seattle SuperSonics to get him. Pippen was the fifth player picked overall. He joined the Bulls along with Horace Grant, another young player. Both came off the bench in their first season. Pippen played his first NBA game on November 7, 1987. He scored 10 points and helped the Bulls win.

Pippen learned a lot from his teammate Michael Jordan. They often played one-on-one to get better. Pippen became a starter during the 1988 NBA Playoffs. He helped the Bulls reach the conference semifinals for the first time in over ten years. By 1990, Pippen was one of the best young forwards in the league. He averaged 16.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He also finished third in the league in steals. These achievements earned him his first NBA All-Star selection in 1990.

The Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989 and 1990. But they lost to the Detroit Pistons both times. In the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals, Pippen had a severe migraine in Game Seven. This affected his play, and the Bulls lost.

Winning Three Championships in a Row (1991–1993)

In the 1990–91 NBA season, Pippen became the Bulls' main defensive player. He also became a strong scorer in coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense. He continued to improve his shooting. On November 23, he got his first triple-double against the Los Angeles Clippers. He had 13 points, 12 assists, and 13 rebounds. The Bulls finished the season with a great record of 61 wins and 21 losses. Pippen was second on the team in points, steals, rebounds, and led in blocks and assists. He was fifth in the NBA in steals. For his great play, Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Bulls then beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.

Pippen helped the Bulls win their first "three-peat." This means they won three championships in a row, in 1991, 1992, and 1993.

Pippen as the Team Leader (1993–1995)

Michael Jordan retired before the 1993–94 season. With Jordan gone, Pippen became the Bulls' main star. That year, he won the All-Star Game MVP award. He led the Bulls in scoring, assists, and blocks. He was also second in the NBA in steals per game. He averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. He shot 49.1% from the field. For his efforts, he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first of three times. He also finished third in the MVP voting. The Bulls still won 55 games that season.

One famous moment happened in the 1994 NBA Playoffs. The Bulls played the New York Knicks. In Game 3, with 1.8 seconds left, the score was tied. Coach Phil Jackson drew up a play for Toni Kukoč to take the last shot. Pippen was supposed to throw the ball in. Pippen was upset that he wasn't taking the shot. He refused to go back into the game. Kukoč made the game-winning shot, but there wasn't much celebration.

In Game 5, a controversial foul call went against Pippen. The Knicks' Hubert Davis shot with 2.1 seconds left. Pippen was called for a foul, even though replays showed contact happened after Davis released the ball. Davis made both free throws, and the Knicks won.

Pippen playing for the Chicago Bulls in 1995

In Game 6, Pippen made a memorable play. He drove to the basket and dunked over Patrick Ewing, a Knicks star. He even walked over Ewing after the dunk and talked to him. This play helped the Bulls win that game. But the Bulls lost Game 7 and were out of the playoffs.

There were rumors that Pippen might be traded in 1994. But he stayed with the Bulls. Michael Jordan then returned to the team late in the 1994-95 season. Pippen finished the 1994 season leading the Bulls in every major statistic: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Only one other player in NBA history had done this before.

Winning Three More Championships (1996–1998)

With Michael Jordan back and Dennis Rodman joining the team, the Bulls had an amazing season in 1995-96. They set an NBA record with 72 wins and only 10 losses. They went on to win their fourth title against the Seattle SuperSonics. Later that year, Pippen became the first player to win an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year twice. He played for Team USA at the Atlanta Olympics.

The Bulls started the 1996–97 NBA season with a 17-1 record. Both Pippen and Jordan were named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. This was part of the league's 50th season celebration. Pippen scored a career-high 47 points against the Denver Nuggets on February 18. Even with some key players injured, Chicago finished with a league-best 69 wins and 13 losses. Pippen earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors for the seventh time.

Chicago Bulls Championship banners hang in the rafters of the United Center.

In the 1997 NBA Finals, Pippen helped the Bulls beat the Utah Jazz. In Game 1, Jazz star Karl Malone was at the free-throw line with seconds left. Pippen famously told him, "Just remember, the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays." Malone missed both shots. Jordan then hit a game-winning shot. In Game 5, Jordan was sick, but still played great. He collapsed into Pippen's arms after the game, creating a famous image. In Game 6, Pippen made a key play. He stole the ball and passed it for a dunk, securing the Bulls' fifth championship.

The 1997-98 season was expected to be the last for Pippen, Jordan, and coach Jackson in Chicago. Pippen had surgery that made him miss part of the season. There were rumors that the Bulls' general manager wanted to trade Pippen. Despite this, Pippen rejoined the team. He and Jordan led the Bulls to another NBA Finals win against the Jazz. This gave them their second "three-peat."

Playing for the Houston Rockets (1999)

After 11 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Pippen was traded to the Houston Rockets in January 1999. He joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, who were also famous players. Pippen's salary was much higher than before.

However, Pippen and Barkley had problems playing together. Pippen's scoring went down to 14.5 points per game, his lowest since his first year. But he still averaged 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team for the eighth time. The Rockets made the playoffs but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

After the season, Pippen wanted to be traded. He said Barkley was selfish and didn't want to win enough. He also wanted to play for his former coach Phil Jackson, who was now with the Lakers. Pippen was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers on October 2, 1999.

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (1999–2003)

Pippen became the starting small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1999–2000 NBA season. He played with new stars like Rasheed Wallace. On January 3, when the Trail Blazers played the Bulls, Pippen received a video tribute. It showed his best moments with the Bulls. He said it was very emotional for him.

The Trail Blazers had a good season, winning 59 games. Pippen started all 82 games, averaging 12.5 points, 5 assists, and 6.3 rebounds. In the playoffs, Portland beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz. They reached the Western Conference Finals. There, they faced the Los Angeles Lakers, coached by Phil Jackson. The series went to a deciding Game 7. The Trail Blazers had a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. But the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, came back and won. Pippen struggled in that game.

In the 2000–01 NBA season, Pippen played 64 games. He missed 18 games because of an injury to his right elbow. He had surgery to remove a bone fragment. He returned in February and played the rest of the season. The Trail Blazers made the playoffs but were swept by the Lakers.

Pippen played two more seasons in Portland. The Trail Blazers made the playoffs both years but were eliminated in the first round. By 2003, Pippen was 37 years old. On February 3, he had a great game against the Orlando Magic, with 25 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Returning to Chicago (2003–2004)

After the 2002-03 season, Pippen signed with the Chicago Bulls again. He wanted to help guide the young team. But he had many injuries and only played 23 games. He averaged 5.9 points per game. He played his last NBA game on February 2, 2004, against the Seattle SuperSonics. The Bulls did not make the playoffs that season. This was the first time in Pippen's career that his team missed the playoffs. He had been in the playoffs for 16 straight years. Pippen announced his retirement on October 5, 2004.

The Chicago Bulls retired Pippen's jersey number 33 on December 9, 2005. He was reunited with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and other former teammates at the ceremony. His number joined those of Michael Jordan, Bob Love, and Jerry Sloan as the only numbers retired by the Bulls.

In 2007, Pippen thought about making an NBA comeback. He wanted to play for a team that could win a championship. He hoped to get a seventh championship ring.

Playing in Scandinavia (2008)

Pippen playing in Finland in 2008

In January 2008, Pippen made a short comeback to professional basketball at age 42. He played two games for a Finnish team, Torpan Pojat (ToPo), and a Swedish team, Sundsvall. In his first game, he scored 12 points. In his third game, he had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.

National Team Career

Pippen was chosen for the United States men's Olympic basketball team on September 21, 1991. This team would play in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

In 1992, Pippen played on the famous "Dream Team" in the Olympics. The U.S. won the gold medal. Pippen and Michael Jordan became the first players to win both an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. He also played on the 1996 Olympic team, known as 'Dream Team III'.

Player Profile and Legacy

Pippen was known for his amazing defensive skills. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team for ten years in a row. He led the league in steals in 1994. Coach Phil Jackson called him a "one-man wrecking crew." Pippen could guard almost any player on the court. He is one of only three players in NBA history to get 200 steals and 100 blocks in a season. He also has the second-most career steals in the playoffs.

Pippen was great at staying in front of his opponent on defense. His long arms helped him steal passes and block shots. He could also chase down players on fast breaks to block their shots from behind.

On offense, Pippen used his athleticism to get to the basket. Early in his career, he wasn't a great jump shooter. But he improved his shooting over time.

Pippen's retired #33 jersey (far right) hanging in the rafters of the United Center

Pippen is remembered as one of the greatest basketball defenders ever. He was also one of the most versatile players. He had unusually long arms, with an 88-inch wingspan. This helped him block shots, grab rebounds, and make difficult passes. He often led the Bulls in assists and blocks. He was also known as a selfless player. His focus on the team was a big reason for the Bulls' championships. His career total of 6,135 assists shows how much he helped his teammates.

Pippen worked very hard and was very athletic. This allowed him to make many exciting plays. He would often play tough defense, steal the ball, and then run down the court for a powerful dunk. He and Jordan would even compete to see who could force more turnovers and score more fast-break points. In 1990, Pippen showed his jumping ability with a dunk from the free-throw line. He was also a good shooter from long distance.

Several NBA players, including Jordan, have said Pippen would be in their all-time starting lineups.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first NBA Championship in 1991, the Chicago Bulls honored the 1991 team. Pippen and Michael Jordan attended the ceremony on March 12, 2011. They were reunited with their former teammates.

On March 17, 2011, the Chicago Bulls announced they would honor Pippen with a bronze statue. It would be placed inside the Bulls' home arena, the United Center. Pippen said it was "an amazing honor." The statue was unveiled on April 7, 2011.

Film and TV Appearances

In 1996, Pippen was on the TV show ER.
In 1998, he was in the documentary film Hardwood Heroes.
In 1998, he had a small role in Spike Lee's movie He Got Game.
In 2009, he appeared in the movie Midgets vs. Mascots.
In 2010, he voiced an animated version of himself on The Cleveland Show.
In 2011, he was a guest star with his then-wife, Larsa Pippen, on The Real Housewives of Miami.
In 2013, he was featured in a documentary series by NBA TV called NB90s.
In 2015, he appeared as himself on the TV show Fresh Off the Boat.
In 2015, he had a small role on Chicago Fire.
In 2017, he appeared as himself on Lethal Weapon.
In 2020, he appeared as himself in the ESPN documentary The Last Dance. This series was mostly about the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls season.
In 2021, he voiced a fictional version of himself in American Dad.

Images for kids

Pippen and then-wife Larsa in December 2006

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1987–88	Chicago	79	0	20.9	.463	.174	.576	3.8	2.1	1.2	.7	7.9
1988–89	Chicago	73	56	33.1	.476	.273	.668	6.1	3.5	1.9	.8	14.4
1989–90	Chicago	82	82	38.4	.489	.250	.675	6.7	5.4	2.6	1.2	16.5
1990–91†	Chicago	82	82	36.8	.520	.309	.706	7.3	6.2	2.4	1.1	17.8
1991–92†	Chicago	82	82	38.6	.506	.200	.760	7.7	7.0	1.9	1.1	21.0
1992–93†	Chicago	81	81	38.6	.473	.237	.663	7.7	6.3	2.1	.9	18.6
1993–94	Chicago	72	72	38.3	.491	.320	.660	8.7	5.6	2.9	.8	22.0
1994–95	Chicago	79	79	38.2	.480	.345	.716	8.1	5.2	2.9*	1.1	21.4
1995–96†	Chicago	77	77	36.7	.463	.374	.679	6.4	5.9	1.7	.7	19.4
1996–97†	Chicago	82	82*	37.7	.474	.368	.701	6.5	5.7	1.9	.6	20.2
1997–98†	Chicago	44	44	37.5	.447	.318	.777	5.2	5.8	1.8	1.0	19.1
1998–99	Houston	50*	50*	40.2	.432	.340	.721	6.5	5.9	2.0	.7	14.5
1999–00	Portland	82	82*	33.5	.451	.327	.717	6.3	5.0	1.4	.5	12.5
2000–01	Portland	64	60	33.3	.451	.344	.739	5.2	4.6	1.5	.6	11.3
2001–02	Portland	62	60	32.2	.411	.305	.774	5.2	5.9	1.6	.6	10.6
2002–03	Portland	64	58	29.9	.444	.286	.818	4.3	4.5	1.6	.4	10.8
2003–04	Chicago	23	6	17.9	.379	.271	.630	3.0	2.2	.9	.4	5.9
Career		1,178	1,053	34.9	.473	.326	.704	6.4	5.2	2.0	.8	16.1
All-Star		7	6	24.7	.442	.318	.625	5.6	2.4	2.4	.9	12.1

NBA Playoff Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1988	Chicago	10	6	29.4	.465	.500	.714	5.2	2.4	.8	.8	10.0
1989	Chicago	17	17	36.4	.462	.393	.640	7.6	3.9	1.4	.9	13.1
1990	Chicago	15	14	40.8	.495	.323	.710	7.2	5.5	2.1	1.3	19.3
1991†	Chicago	17	17	41.4	.504	.235	.792	8.9	5.8	2.5	1.1	21.6
1992†	Chicago	22	22	40.9	.468	.250	.761	8.8	6.7	1.9	1.1	19.5
1993†	Chicago	19	19	41.5	.465	.176	.638	6.9	5.6	2.2	.7	20.1
1994	Chicago	10	10	38.4	.434	.267	.885	8.3	4.6	2.4	.7	22.8
1995	Chicago	10	10	39.6	.443	.368	.676	8.6	5.8	1.4	1.0	17.8
1996†	Chicago	18	18	41.2	.390	.286	.638	8.5	5.9	2.6	.9	16.9
1997†	Chicago	19	19	39.6	.417	.345	.791	6.8	3.8	1.5	.9	19.2
1998†	Chicago	21	21	39.8	.415	.228	.679	7.1	5.2	2.1	1.0	16.8
1999	Houston	4	4	43.0	.329	.273	.808	11.8	5.5	1.8	.8	18.3
2000	Portland	16	16	38.4	.419	.300	.743	7.1	4.3	2.0	.4	14.9
2001	Portland	3	3	39.0	.421	.176	.667	5.7	2.3	2.7	.7	13.7
2002	Portland	3	3	33.0	.409	.545	.875	9.3	5.7	1.3	.7	16.3
2003	Portland	4	1	18.8	.409	.333	1.000	2.8	3.3	.0	.0	5.8
Career		208	200	39.0	.444	.303	.724	7.6	5.0	1.9	.9	17.5

College Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1983–84	Central Arkansas	20	1	—	.456	—	.684	3.0	.7	.4	.4	4.3
1984–85	Central Arkansas	19	19	—	.564	—	.676	9.2	1.6	1.8	1.2	18.5
1985–86	Central Arkansas	29	29	—	.556	—	.686	9.2	3.5	2.3	.6	19.8
1986–87	Central Arkansas	25	25	—	.592	.575	.719	10.0	4.3	3.1	1.4	23.6

Career Achievements

21 career triple-doubles (17 in regular season, 4 in playoffs)
Led the league in steals (232) and steals per game (2.94) in 1994.
His 10 NBA All-Defensive honors and 8 NBA All-Defensive First Team honors are almost the NBA record.
Six-time NBA champion
Member of the Olympic gold medal-winning USA Men's National Basketball Teams in 1992 ("Dream Team I") and 1996 ("Dream Team III").
Chosen in 1996 as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History".
Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. The 1992 Olympic Basketball "Dream Team" was also elected in 2010.
Pippen is one of two NBA players to record 5 steals and 5 blocks in a playoff game.
Pippen is one of three non-guards in NBA history to have a season with more than 200 steals. He did it three times.
Elected in 2021 to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Holds the NBA single-month plus-minus record (272).