Scottie Pippen Retires
 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1895410



I'm surprised to see that no one has posted this yet (unless I just missed it). As someone whose interest in the NBA pretty well rose and fell with the success of the Bulls, even though they were never my favorite team, he seemed like a pretty significant player in history.

However, looking at his stats, he doesn't really stand out. Part of that is probably because he spent his prime playing with Jordan (in his shadow?). But then again, maybe his numbers are as good as they are because of playing with Jordan.

He has the 6 titles, was named one of the 50 Greatest of All Time (although that may be a stretch in hindsight), and played in 7 All Star Games. Career numbers: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG.

Any Hall of Fame thoughts? I think he'll get in so that everyone that voted him to the 50 Greatest team feels legitimate, but may not really deserve to be there.

Good riddance to a bad attitude...

Pippen deserves to be in the HOF for sure. Keep in mind he was named one of the 50 greatest in '96, his knees just betrayed him later on. He had intangibles that were never really seen on paper, and he only helped Jordan look better with his passing and defense. When Jordan retired, Pip led the Bulls well and was a franchise player himself, only to look bad when Kukoc took the last shot. Call it a bad attitude or pouting, I'd still want him on my team, he'd play harder than most of the guys on the USA team in Athens.

I'm not a big fan of the NBA, but I could have sworn he retired the year before.

He was a damned good player, without a doubt one of the best.

I was actually about to post my agreement of him being something of a bitch, but then I realized the guy was a freakin' saint in comparison to the asshats that have infested the NBA.

I thought he retired at least two years ago...

I thought it was four...

I'm not a Pippen fan at all, but I will aknowledge that he was a very good player. Not 50 greatest good, but still good.


Not the greatest numbers there. IMO, he's a borderline HOFer that gets in easily because of his days playing with Jordan. The NBA is becoming the toughest of the sports to determine whether or not a player belongs in the HOF. Stats are being cheapened by guys that can score and pad their other numbers. Things like all-star games and all-defensive teams are a joke now, so you can't use them to judge players. Its really coming down to a matter of opinion.

I don't think this makes the way he handled certain things any better.

I hate him and am glad he's gone. The classic "I'm not going in because the play isn't going to me" moment pretty much captures Scottie to me.

Although he is Hall o' Fame ugly... :p

Whineyness aside, I think Scottie is an easy HoF'er. Watching him throughout his prime, I think that he was easily the best at his position throughout the '90s. He was the single best perimeter defensive player I have ever watched play basketball, which is quite the statement because Jordan was one of the all-time greats himself. When MJ had retired, Scottie had an excellent year guiding the Bulls and if it weren't for Hue Hollins admitted blunder, we would have been in the Finals again that year.

I dunno. It seems easy to me. Pippen obviously gets in because is Jordan the same player without him around? No way.

I think the difference with the NBA is, its a player driven league. You know the names of guys. In baseball, guys can toil for a career - doing pretty well - in relative obscurity and then people debate about their significance. In basketball, its easier to put the numbers in perspective and so it seems easier to me to make a decision about whether a guy gets into the hall.

In sports like football and baseball not so much. I think in those sports, good guys get left out, while guys who endeared the media to them are more likely to get inducted.

This happens a lot less in basketball, it seems.

I have to disagree here. If there's a league that's less about numbers and more about media hype, its the NBA.

In baseball numbers mean something. 3,000 hits. 500 homeruns. 300 wins. Those are numbers everyone can relate to.

In basketball guys often win awards and are selected to All Star games based on reputation. Jordan was a great defender in his prime, but when he made the All-Defensive team after coming back from his retirement, that was a joke. Ron Artest not winning a defensive player of the year award until this year is a joke. The NBA is about image and popularity. Not numbers.

You beat me to it. Strange how Rockets fans don't really think much of him.

{my post from another board: } All I got from his time in Houston was that he was a soft, whiny, egotistical bitch. Then again, that wasn't exactly his best season.

SI

I've seen better heads on boils.

/obscure?