where would you rank Scottie Pippen in nba history?

Answer 1

Yes, he deserved to be top 50 in 1996, when the team was chosen.

Pippen was one of the top 4 defensive forwards in history (along with Dave Debusschere, Dennis Rodman and Bobby Jones).

The 1991 Finals (Jordan and Pippen's first title) turned in the Bulls' favor when Phil Jackson switched Scottie over to Magic (and put Michael on the injured James Worthy) ... Jordan had started the series guarding Magic, but was getting torched by the Magic man.

Pippen played 16 full seasons, and played on winning teams every year (Jordan played five years without Pippen, and played on losing teams all five years).

Jordan's playoff record without Pippen as a teammate was 1 win and 9 loses, and he never got out of the first round.

Scottie got the Bulls out of the first round in 1994, right after Michael retired, after everyone predicted the collapse of the Bulls.

Scottie never missed the playoffs, and got to a conference final without Michael. Jordan never got out of the first round without Scottie.

In 1994, Pippen became the 2nd player to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks...all without having Michael around to make him better. That year, the Bulls also sent B J Armstrong and Horace Grant to the All Star game, each for the only time in their careers... gee, how'd they do that without having Michael there to "make them better"???? (Armstrong played 11 years in the NBA, Grant played 17 years... yet, they were both all stars for the only time during the one year Michael wasn't there to make them better.

The Bulls won 57 games in 1993... then Jordan retires, and everyone predicts the Bulls might win 20 games if they're lucky in 1994, having lost the "greatest player of all time"... instead, Scottie leads them to 55 wins, only two fewer than with the "GOAT" the season before.


Jordan never made anyone better... it was obviously Pippen who was making these guys better.

Pippen never played for a losing team... Jordan played for five losing teams (which correspond to his years of playing without Scottie).

Pippen played part of a 17th season in 2003-04, but only played 23 games before retiring with injuries...that was the only losing team with which he was associated, but again, he only played 23 games before retiring.

Pippen turned out to be one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Each played five seasons without the other... all five of Jordan's teams (without Pippen) had losing records... all five of Scottie's teams (without Michael) had winning records.

Pippen was even more of a winner than Jordan. And the records of his teams bear this out.

Answer 2

He'd probably be in the 50-100 range, as he really should not have been named to the all time 50 greatest team a few years back.

But he was an excellent defensive player that could defend a lot of positions, much like Bruce Bowen can now, and he was a very good offensive player who could run the floor, hit an open shot, or hit a three pointer. His lousy foul shooting always perplexed me, and still the one big strike against him was when he refused to go in the game at the end of a playoff game (w/o Jordan that year) when Phil Jackson drew up the final shot for Toni Kukoc.

Answer 3

whoever ranked pip with Jamal Mashburn is well-spoken but off the mark...MJ didn't win a title until Pip and Horace Grant were in the equation, or didn't you already know this??? drafted in 84, made it to the conference finals, but didn't actually pull it off without the right Coach (P Jackson), and Scottie Pippen til 91. Pip is without a doubt among the top in history, which is why NBA at 50 has him at one of the top ten at his position, small forward...of all time...Defense, clutch shooting, leadership, able to fill a "point forward" type position, where MJ provided the distraction at shooting guard..top 50 no brainer

this is for everyone who is ranking according to todays players:

this was back in 1996, when it was the 50 first years...and he is now history...yea top fifty at the time...

Answer 4

i know he's in the top 50 best of all time... for its just ryt for him to be recognized that way. with his talent he can be the shawn marion of today. i think most people did not see the inportance of pippen in the bull's success! its true that jordan made everyone in the team better, hell a lot better but lets not overlook the contribution pippen gave... he stepped up when jordan had an off nyt. he was very consisitenty with his numbers almost everygame.the bull's success was not only because of michael jordan,it was made possilble by the the whole team and aside from mj, it was because mostly of scottie pippen.he was an all-around player and a team player as well. hcan guard the best player of the other teams , he can shoot, rebound and score from the inside... i think that's the rearest basketball talent... and he had it!!!

Answer 5

He was originally chosen as among the Top 50 players of all time but taking current players into consideration, I would have to agree with the others that Scottie is somewhere between the 50-100 range of greatest players.

He was an outstanding Offense-Defense combo but he was sorely lacking during crunch time (offensive end only, he was great defensively).

Answer 6

Dear spc25,

i'm not sure why he's rated in the top 50 of all time. i think i'd have in somewhere in the top 100-150 range. He's probably one of the best all-around team role players, supporting role player- but he's by no means a super-star.

When you think of top 50 you think of guys that were the centerpieces of their team. Scottie would not be mentioned in the top 50 or really be remembered if it wasn't for Jordan- he'd probably have a "Jamal Mashburn" type of career, some good seasons, a couple of all-star games- but nothing really to talk about at the end of his career, if it wasn't for MJ.

Nickster

Answer 7

A wing player who excels on both offense and defense? I'd say at least top 50 even though there are more athletes coming out every year but I doubt many will have as many rings as Scottie. He's like a skinnier version of LeBron who actually plays better defense.

Answer 8

Top 50 and rightfully so, Many players today emulate their games after him. He paved the way for so many other versatile small forwards. Just look at what players like Lamar Odom and even Lebron have done with their careers. He undoubtedly had a profound affect on today's game and could even have been a franchise player.

Answer 9

Somewhere between 50 and 100 maybe? But definitely within top 150.

Answer 10

I would not rate him in the top 50, but I definitely would in the top 100.