"I could do nothing"- Scottie Pippen once accused scorekeepers of crediting his steals to Michael Jordan
Chicago Bulls legend and Michael Jordan's wingman, Scottie Pippen, called out scorekeepers in his book "Unguarded," released in November 2021. He alleged that the officials who chart statistics in NBA games actually gave many of Pippen's steals to his fellow teammate, MJ.
“Michael was better at getting people to do whatever he wanted,” Pippen wrote. “I saw it over and over, from the first training camp in 1987 to the last victory rally in 1998.
"Here’s how it worked: Say I deflected the ball and tapped it over to him. I should get credit with the steal, right? Nope. More often than not, the steal went into his column on the stat sheet, and I could do nothing about it," he added.
To most NBA fans, it was a bit odd. Pippen famously locked down most of the best perimeter players during the Bulls' six-title runs as a fierce frontman for their dominant defensive coverages. He could switch everything on pick-and-rolls, play shooting guards and pass lanes like a nightmare for every opposing team.
This isn't the first time Pippen hinted at feeling underappreciated during his championship runs with the Bulls, especially after the "Last Dance" documentary.
As for the stats, Jordan led the NBA in steals per game in 1987–88, 1989–90 and 1992–93, third in NBA history in steals per game (2.35) and fourth in all-time steals (2,514). Pippen is seventh all-time in steals and 14th in steals per game.
Jordan and Pippen, two of the greatest defenders in NBA history, combined for 19 All-Defensive teams.
Justin Pippen playfully jibes with father, Scottie Pippen, during Father's Day celebration
Scottie Pippen's son, Justin Pippento, mocked the Bulls legend on Instagram ahead of Father's Day.
A video posted to Instagram by Slam High School ahead of Father's Day shows Justin and Scottie eating breakfast together, playing Connect Four, and going head-to-head in a friendly game of "PIG" on the basketball court.
Justin's playful jibes and Scottie's gracious responses offered fans a heartwarming glimpse into their lives, making this Father's Day one to remember for the Pippen family.