The Chicago Bulls era of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the squad of championship characters will forever live in infamy.
However, ever since the airing of ESPN’s 30 For 30 documentary “The Last Dance,” Pippen has been vocal about his time on the team.
Unguarded
In Pippen’s new autobiography, “Unguarded,” he keeps it honest about his thoughts on his forever basketball partner Michael Jordan.
Pippen opens up about how he feels “The Last Dance” failed to exhibit the teamwork dynamic that made the ’97-’98 Bulls. Instead, Pippen feels that Jordan, who he claims had “editorial control of the final project,” used the documentary as a personal propaganda piece.
GQ published an excerpt of Pippen’s feelings from the book.
Keeping It Real
“My years in Chicago, beginning as a rookie in the fall of 1987, were the most rewarding of my career: twelve men coming together as one, fulfilling the dreams we had as kids in playgrounds across the land when all we needed was a ball, a basket, and our imagination,” said Pippen. “To be a member of the Bulls during the 1990s was to be part of something magical. For our times and for all time.
“Except Michael was determined to prove to the current generation of fans that he was larger-than-life during his day—and still larger than LeBron James, the player many consider his equal, if not superior.
“So Michael presented his story, not the story of the ‘Last Dance,’ as our coach, Phil Jackson, billed the 1997–98 season once it became obvious the two Jerrys (owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause) were intent on breaking up the gang no matter what happened.”
Old Wounds
Pippen revealed his animus at Jordan for skewing the narrative of his Bulls experience. During that time of the documentary’s release, the world was at a standstill and starved for entertainment during the pandemic.
“Even in the second episode, which focused for a while on my difficult upbringing and unlikely path to the NBA, the narrative returned to MJ and his determination to win. I was nothing more than a prop. His ‘best teammate of all time,’ he called me. He couldn’t have been more condescending if he tried.
“On second thought, I could believe my eyes. I spent a lot of time around the man. I knew what made him tick. How naïve I was to expect anything else.”
For more on Scottie Pippen’s new book and his reflection on the Bulls Dynasty and his relationship with Michael Jordan, click here
