Scottie Pippen’s Bold Take On Playing In The Modern NBA

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen remain two of the most iconic players in NBA history, leading the Bulls in their excellence over their playing days in Chicago.

Of course, Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest basketball player of all time, next to LeBron James, but Pippen was a top-10 player in the league right next to Jordan throughout their run.

So the question remains: could Pippen and Jordan have dominated in the new era of basketball currently?

Pippen's Take on the Modern NBA

In a recent interview with El Pais, Pippen claimed he could do very well in today's NBA.

"I’d do very well. The game has changed, sure — it’s more up and down now — but my style fit that kind of play even in the ’80s and ’90s. I don’t think it would be a big challenge," Pippen exclaimed.

When asked if he would be the best player in the NBA today, he said, "Yes, I think so. There's no reason to think otherwise. If I worked as hard as I did back then, I believe I'd easily be among the best."

The claim by Pippen is a bit extreme because he is essentially saying that he'd be better than current superstars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and others.

Pippen, while great, was always considered the second option to Michael Jordan, even in his prime.

Could Pippen Thrive in Today's NBA?

Of course, with Pippen's strong and athletic frame, anything is possible, especially with the talent that he did have.

He was a 6-foot-8 point-forward before it was widely seen across the league, and today's positionless basketball would perfectly suit his ability to guard multiple positions while handling the ball.

Pippen was also arguably the best perimeter defender of his era, with 10 All-Defensive selections. In today's switch-heavy defenses, his ability to guard essentially every position would have been lethal, maybe even more than in the '90s.

Sure, he only averaged 16.1 points per game in his career, and superstars usually average 25 to 30 points per game, and his three-point shot was never an elite trait of his (32.6 percent in his career). But the modern emphasis on scoring and shooting would have led him to develop it more.

Pippen would absolutely be an All-NBA caliber player, perennial All-Star, and All-Defensive selection, but claiming he'd be the best player in the league is a stretch.