Scottie Pippen never forgot Michael Jordan’s words of praise, even if they were never close

When NBA legend Michael Jordan uttered the now-famous line — “Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen” — during The Last Dance in 2020, Scottie Pippen felt it.

“I deeply appreciated what he said and the similar kind words I received in the spring of 2020 from friends, ex-teammates and fans,” Pippen wrote in his book.

It was a rare public acknowledgment of the obvious: Jordan didn’t win anything of consequence until Pippen arrived.

 Chicago acquired Pippen from Seattle on draft night in 1987. By 1991, the Bulls were NBA champions. And they didn’t stop. Six titles later, Jordan was the GOAT and Pippen was the ultimate co-star — arguably the best No. 2 in league history.

“I would never be able to find a tandem, another support system, another partner in the game of basketball like Scottie Pippen,” Jordan said in Episode 2 of The Last Dance. “He was a pleasure to play with. He helped me so much in the way that I approached the game, the way I played the game.

“Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen. Everybody says well I won all these championships, but I didn’t win without Scottie Pippen. And that’s why I consider him my best teammate of all time.”

And he wasn’t exaggerating. The Bulls went 514-177 in the regular season with Jordan and Pippen together.

Individually, Jordan put up 31.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game during those years. Pippen added 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals — all while defending the other team’s best wing.

Historic Duo, Complicated Relationship

Pippen’s résumé speaks for itself: seven All-Star nods, seven All-NBA teams, 10 All-Defensive selections.

Jordan? Five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles, one Defensive Player of the Year award. Both are Hall of Famers. Pippen even asked Jordan to present him at his induction.

On the surface, it looked like they were inseparable. On the court, they were. Off the court? Not so much.

“Michael and I aren’t close and never have been,” Pippen wrote. “Whenever I call or text him, he usually gets back to me in a timely fashion, but I don’t check in just to see how he’s doing. Nor does he do the same.

“Many people might find that hard to believe given how smoothly we connected on the court. Away from the court, we are two very different people who have led two very different lives. I was from the country: Hamburg, Arkansas, population about 3,000; he was from the city: Wilmington, North Carolina.”

Despite the distance, Pippen understands reality. Their careers are forever intertwined.

“The two of us will forever be linked together, the best duo in NBA history,” Pippen wrote. “He helped make my dreams come true, as I helped make his.”

A Standard No One’s Matched

The Bulls retired Jordan’s No. 23 and Pippen’s No. 33, immortalizing them side by side in the United Center rafters. And more than two decades later, no NBA tandem has matched their six-for-six Finals record.

You can pick other great duos — Magic and Kareem, Shaq and Kobe, Steph and Klay — but Jordan and Pippen remain the gold standard.

And for all their differences, Jordan’s words back in 2020 still ring true: whenever you speak Michael Jordan, you should speak Scottie Pippen.