"The stamina, the pace... This is a tougher era to be successful in" - Scottie Pippen concedes modern NBA is much harder to play in than in his era
Scottie Pippen is among the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
He is one of the most successful players ever, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. However, the Hall of Fame forward thinks it's much harder to succeed in today's NBA.
Pippen has been attending the NBA 2K23 Summer League to support his son, Scotty Pippen Jr., who is in action for the LA Lakers. During the Lakers' matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, the elder Pippen joined the broadcast. He discussed how hard it is to play in the league today and said:
"I think that watching these players, the stamina, just the pace of the game. This is a tough game. I mean to keep up with this pace, and you've got to be able to make shots. If you're not making shots, you'll be sitting over there with the coach."
Pippen went on to add:
"I think this is a tougher era to be successful because you need to be able to shoot the basketball. Bottom line, there's guys that can get to the hole and create opportunities. But the guys that can shoot the basketball from range are much more valuable in today's game."
Scottie Pippen said that "this is a tougher era to be successful in" compared to when he was playing. https://t.co/gWynsgYIBO
The NBA has changed a lot since Pippen retired in 2004. While the game has been less physical, the level of talent has undoubtedly risen. New rules have also been applied that change how the game is played. Steph Curry's arrival brought the 3-point shot more into the limelight and it remains a highly important part of the game.
Nevertheless, it's worth noting that the current version of the league has been shaped in part by previous eras.
Scottie Pippen faked injury against son during 1-on-1 games
Scottie Pippen has been very supportive of his son and his journey to the NBA. Scotty Pippen Jr. went undrafted in the 2022 draft, but was quickly signed to a two-way deal by the LA Lakers.
The younger Pippen averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game in the California Classic Summer League.
In a news conference (h/t CBS Sports) before his first practice as a Lakers player, Pippen Jr. revealed that he played 1-on-1 against his dad during quarantine. The Vanderbilt product added that the Bulls legend could not keep up with him and had to fake an injury to get out of their games. He said:
"My dad stopped playing me. I was wearing him out. I used to beat him, and he would fake injuries and stuff. He wouldn't give me the credit, so we stopped playing a while ago."
Pippen Jr. added:
"We were in the house locked up, and we used to start playing. Then he would be like, 'I'm not going to get hurt playing with you.' So we stopped playing."
Scottie Pippen will turn 57 in September, which could explain why he couldn't keep up with his 21-year-old son.