Watch: Rookie Scottie Pippen gets manhandled and bullied by Charles Oakley
Scottie Pippen was one of the greatest NBA players and integral to the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s. However, even he got the traditional rookie treatment from the veterans of the Bulls' locker room from back in the day.
A video of yesteryear All-Star forward Charles Oakley bullying Pippen emerged recently, in which the latter is getting the most embarrassing rookie treatment possible. Oakley held Pippen by the collar and slapped him multiple times, which the rest of the locker room found hilarious. Here's the clip:
The harsh welcome to the league from veterans was an old tradition that seems to have faded away for good. Rookies had extensive duties assigned to them by a veteran. That included doing their daily tasks, which could range from carrying their bags to bringing them a newspaper, food, or other things of that sort.
It didn't matter how talented or coveted the rookie was. Even Magic Johnson had to undergo the rookie treatment at the hands of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic got Kareem's morning juice and newspaper daily as part of his rookie duties.
Scottie Pippen turned into a beast following his rookie year with the Bulls
Scottie Pippen came into the league as a lanky wing who was a pest defensively but still had plenty of room for growth to earn a starting job. He came off the bench in all 79 appearances in his debut season, averaging 20.8 minutes a game. He tallied 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.
Pippen didn't take long to make a career leap, leaving his mark as early as in his sophomore season with the franchise. He eventually got inserted into the starting lineup that year. Pippen averaged 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game across 73 appearances, including 56 starts.
He put some size and added more skill to his all-around play, earning him a permanent starting role. Pippen's exploits after that season are well-documented. His rise was instrumental in the Bulls' turning into contenders shortly.
Scottie Pippen perfectly executed the role of a second-fiddle to Michael Jordan, and the Bulls may not have won six championships without him. Pippen finished his career as an honorary member of the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams, seven all-star selections, and multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive selections.
The Bulls also retired his jersey No. 33 to pay homage to his contributions to the franchise's success.