Few players embodied winning quite like Scottie Pippen. As Michael Jordan’s co-star, he helped power the Chicago Bulls to six championships while building a reputation as one of the most complete players in NBA history.
At the same time, he had all the potential to be the No. 1 option on a team, something that was especially evident during Michael’s baseball sabbatical. That said, Pippen was unable to replicate Bulls-like success with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.
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Returning to Chicago for his swan song, the 6’8″ forward announced his retirement in 2004. Interestingly, he would make a brief comeback after a seven-year gap.
The special occasion was the 2011 All-Star Celebrity Game, with Scottie representing the East. The six-time champion certainly still had it in him, dropping a game-high 17 points, defeating the West 54-49. Finding himself on the receiving end yet again, this time as a coach, was Los Angeles Lakers veteran Magic Johnson.
“He thinks it’s 1991, the Bulls versus the Lakers or something … ‘Hey Scottie, slow down,”‘ joked Magic, who had been at the receiving end of the Bulls veteran’s dominance back in the day, as well.
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Getting his first ring
Finally getting off the Detroit Pistons hump, the Bulls made their first NBA Finals appearance in 1991 against the Magic-led Lakers, who were nearing the end of their Showtime Era. Starting the series with a loss, Coach Phil Jackson and crew made a critical adjustment ahead of Game 2.
The Bulls decided to replace Jordan with Pippen to guard Johnson, which proved to be a turning point in the Finals, leading them to win the next four straight. Scottie no doubt made life difficult for Magic, who averaged 4.4 turnovers per game and shot 43 percent from the field by the end of it.
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Getting his first ring, Pippen contributed at both ends of the court, averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.0 blocks. While MJ was named the 1991 Finals MVP, many believe that if it were not for Scottie putting the stops on Magic, the series outcome could have been different.
Playing against his childhood hero
Scottie’s admiration for Magic is no secret, something the Bulls veteran has mentioned time and again. Thus, when it came to facing his idol on the grandest stage of them all in 1991, Pippen knew the psychological weight was going to be more for him than for his teammates.
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“Going against Magic was the biggest feeling I had of going against a guy, who I idolized in my career and my whole life. To have had an opportunity to play against him and (Kareem) Abdul-Jabbar and (James) Worthy,” Pippen told Bulls.com in 2005.
It was also the primary reason why the 1991 championship was dearest to him out of all. Fast forward to 2011, the two Hall of Famers were at loggerheads again, but with Magic as coach this time. Regardless, the former Lakers guard would once again be at Pip’s mercy.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.