The all-time NBA player debate gets an interesting take on the positions of Allen Iverson and Scottie Pippen.
The Chicago Bulls dominated the 1990s as the organization won six NBA Championships in six trips to the finals.
While Hall of Famer Michael Jordan spearheaded the team, it’s tough to ignore the contributions of his second-in-command, Scottie Pippen.
However, even though Pippen is a 6x NBA champion, according to Gilbert Arenas, he ranks lower than Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson.
Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty ImagesAllen Iverson is going to be ‘remembered more’ than Scottie Pippen
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James recently made headlines after he criticized the “ring culture” in the modern NBA.
On an appearance on ‘The Dan Patrick Show,’ Arenas agreed with James’ take on the same. He backed his point by giving the example of the all-time ranks of Iverson and Pippen.
“History says Allen Iverson. He is going to be remembered more because his background says he was a top player in the NBA. He was an MVP,” Arenas said.
He added: “Remember, all MVPs, one, are the best player; if you are a scoring champ, it says you are top five.”
In simple terms, Arenas believes winning NBA titles alone cannot be the deciding factor in a player’s legacy. Unfortunately, that seems to be a growing problem in the current era.
Gilbert Arenas points out Scottie Pippen isn’t ‘treated’ well in comparison to Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson
Arenas further bolstered his statement by pointing out the obvious difference in how NBA fans treat Pippen in comparison to MJ or AI.
“The average fan is going to say six rings, but we are looking at Scottie Pippen and see how he is being treated. He is not treated like Michael Jordan,” Arenas continued.
Arenas concluded by stating: “The legacy for everyone, when you walk in public, are you respected? If you say Scottie Pippen and Allen Iverson, everybody is going to say Allen Iverson, because they remember he was iconic at what he did.”
Obviously, it doesn’t take away from what Pippen achieved during his NBA career, but it also proves that winning an NBA Championship isn’t everything.
StatsAllen IversonScottie PippenPoints26.7 PPG16.1 PPGRebounds3.7 RPG6.4 RPGAssists6.2 APG5.2 APGNBA Championships06All-Star Games11 selections7 selectionsHall of FameYesYes
After all, Iverson was a cultural icon, and fans remember his time in the league fondly. While, as Arenas previously stated, being a passenger on championship-winning teams can only help so much for Pippen’s legacy.