Dennis Rodman talks up Scottie Pippen, ranks him ahead of LeBron James

"The Last Dance" has proved to be a cultural phenomenon, raking in millions of viewers and sparking countless debates about the '90s Bulls' place on the basketball pantheon. Dennis Rodman is among the most notorious members of the Bulls, a fierce defender who was as known for his antics off the court as his play on it.

In an interview with ESPN's Jackie MacMillan, Rodman said he has been far more interested in how his teammate Scottie Pippen has been portrayed in the 10-part documentary series. Rodman says Pippen was among the best two or three players in the game, "but no one could ever quite see him. He was too quiet, and he was always standing next to Michael Jordan."

While Jordan tends to get most of the attention, Rodman is hopeful that the documentary will help people remember just how important Pippen was to winning six championships.

"Scottie was so underrated — and so underpaid. He should be holding his head up higher than Michael Jordan in this documentary," Rodman said. "I think a lot of people are now realizing what he went through. The kid was a hero, in a lot of ways, during those great Bulls runs."

Rodman spoke about how, initially, he and Pippen were bitter enemies, as Rodman was on the Pistons during the Bad Boy bullying of the Bulls. But once they were united on the Bulls, they quickly bonded.

Like any good teammate, Rodman insists that Pippen does not get the accolades he deserves, saying that even Larry Bird "couldn't play multiple positions like Scottie could. He wasn't agile enough."

As if that wasn't enough praise, Rodman went so far as to say that he thinks Pippen was better than LeBron James. 

"If LeBron was playing during the '90s, I'd still say Scottie Pippen was the second-best player behind Michael," Rodman explained.