Phil Jackson on Scottie Pippen's as a leader

[Roundball_Rock]

I see Pippen get criticized for not being a leader often on ISH. It is funny to see this criticism when leadership was one of his top attributes, a reason why he was able to contribute even past his prime. It is one reason he had 16 winning seasons in a row. Fortunately, I found so many quotes I will have to separate them into several threads, i.e. one for his teammates.

People make the mistake of conflating scoring prowess with leadership, or even basketball ability in general with leadership. A player could be the 12th man and still be the primary team leader or one of the leaders. Leadership is a trait that is not associated with an ability to put a ball through a hoop. Leadership is also enduring. A great player who is a great leader should be that even when he declines later in his career. Leaders gonna lead. If you look at people who rise to high leadership positions you will find they had a leadership streak in them even at a young age and held leadership positions throughout their lives. Most modern U.S. presidents, for example, had a leadership role while in college and then in their community even before achieving the first rungs of the elected ladder.

Phil Jackson on Scottie Pippen as a leader


“On the Bulls, Scottie was probably the player most liked by others. He mingled. He brought out the best in players and communicated the best. Leadership, real leadership is one of his strengths.

“Everybody says Michael [Jordan] was a great leader. He led by example, by rebuke, by harsh words. Scottie’s leadership was equally dominant, but [his was] a leadership of patting on the back, of support.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/pippen...re_031112.html

"It is interesting and revealing that teammates, opponents and coaches consistently praise Pippen. Phil Jackson, his coach with the six-time champion Chicago Bulls, declares, 'Scottie was our team leader. He was the guy that directed our offense and he was the guy that took on a lot of big challenges defensively...the year that Michael retired, Scottie I think was the most valuable player in the league.'

http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/...asketball.html

We fans have our memories of Pippen the player, the dramatic dunks and the big games. The rings. But Jackson thinks of Pippen the defensive leader.

Scottie was our voice on defense. He had, as you can tell, a tremendous voice. He has a deep resonating voice that could be heard on the court. And he also had the ability to talk to his teammates, and send them and direct them. But we had to trap Stockton when he got over half court, and try to get the ball out of his hands. And he had to come from the farthest place on the court to trap with either Steve Kerr if he was guarding Stockton, or Ronnie Harper if he was guarding Stockton, so we could get the ball out of his hands. And then he had to get back to the other side of the court once Stockton got the ball out of his hands. I can remember him calling and directing the team during those situations. Those are the things that made Scottie not only a great player, but also a great team leader that was so important to our basketball club…

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...d-his-defense/

“He was always a very good person on and off the court. He understood his teammates and he helped them out. That was a major development in Scottie’s career.”

“His greatest strength was his knowledge of how things worked on the defensive end of the floor,” he said. “Scottie was the voice of our team—figuratively and literally, as he did a lot of the talking and kept our team on the same page. When he wasn’t at the top of the key harassing a guard as a special assignment, he was on the backside of our defense talking his teammates through different situations, whether it was a double team, trap or some other important aspect. Because of that, he was very vital to the run that we made.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...on_100730.html

“It was a learning moment in his life,” Jackson wrote. “He came back as a leader of teams for another decade.”

“Our quarterback on defense was Scottie Pippen. ‘Go get him, Luc,’ he’d yell to center Luc Longley. ‘Bring some help.’ All I needed to do was whistle, and Scottie would know instinctively how our defense should react. On the occasions when I signaled a player toward the bench to ask why he suddenly changed his defensive position, the standard reply was: ‘Scottie sent me.’ Which is why, when I met Dr. Buss in Hawaii last May, Scottie was my first choice among the prospective free agents.” (excerpted from The Last Season).

d it was because of that experience that Scottie was able to empathize with everyone else in ways that Michael never could. Michael Jordan led the Bulls by example, but Phil Jackson always said that Pippen was the team’s vocal leader in the locker room and on the court.

http://arjun-allthingssports.blogspo...tshell_27.html

Charley Rosen

I will include quotes from Rosen because Rosen's source obviously is Jackson.

When Jackson took over from Collins in 1989, the triangle offense was installed and history was in the offing. Jackson felt so comfortable with Pippen's understanding and instincts on the defensive end that he frequently deferred to Scottie's judgment. Oftentimes when Jackson would question why an otherwise intelligent player zigged in a particular defensive sequence instead of executing the required zag, the player would simply say, "Scottie told me to do it." And the coach was satisfied.

In fact, all of the Bulls were somewhat afraid of Michael Jordan (who would ferociously bark at them whenever they made the slightest mistake in positioning or timing). For solace and advice, the players instead turned to Scottie. Throughout the dynasty, it was Pippen who was the team's on-court leader.

On many occasions, Phil Jackson would question a player about why he had not adhered to the pre-game script by failing to double a designated scorer or "half" a defensive rotation. The player's response would usually be, "Scottie told me to do something different."

PJ would then shrug, nod and say, "Okay."

Also, since MJ was extremely harsh on teammates who made mistakes, it was Pippen whom his teammates sought out to soothe their bruised egos.

To civilians, Pippen was irresponsible, aloof and occasionally semi-antagonistic. But to his peers, he was always accessible and well-liked.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/9...ron%27s-flaws?

While Pippen was usually aloof with civilians, he was the player that the other Bulls turned to for advice and solace. (They were all much too afraid of MJ's caustic and insulting remedies for their comparatively inferior talent.) Moreover, it was Pippen who orchestrated the Bulls' stingy defense — making on-the-spot adjustments, and instructing his teammates (including MJ) when to double, when to rotate, when to sag, when to go over and when to go under screens.

On the defensive end of Chicago's six championships, Pippen was Phil Jackson's surrogate coach-on-the-court.

Still, Pippen proved his bona fides during the 1993-94 season when MJ was trying to hit curve balls. That’s when Pippen orchestrated the triangle offense to perfection and Chicago was denied a chance to win another championship by Hue Hollins making one of the worst calls in NBA history.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/R...medium=twitter

Edit: I screwed up the thread title. I originally had "Phil Jackson on Scottie Pippen's leadership" and forgot to remove the apostrophe when I changed it.

[The_Pharcyde]

It's so sad what you are trying to prove with this thread
Sorry bro, MJ is the GOAT

I love pippen, but c'mon it's so transparent, your end game

[Roundball_Rock]

Sorry bro, MJ is the GOAT

And? How is that mutually exclusive with the evidence in the OP? So if someone talks about Derek Fisher's leadership that is a slight on Kobe? It is funny how it is a crime to say anything positive about any 90's Bull not named Mike.

[scandisk_]

I love pippen, but c'mon it's so transparent, your end game

good thing Pip is leaps and bounds better than LBJ as a leader. GO PIP!

[JohnMax]

John Paxson

[The_Pharcyde]

And? How is that mutually exclusive with the evidence in the OP? So if someone talks about Derek Fisher's leadership that is a slight on Kobe? It is funny how it is a crime to say anything positive about any 90's Bull not named Mike.

You aren't fooling anyone

I'm not even a Jordan Stan
But damn all these other Stan's trying to put down other players is so damn annoying... A bunch of 16 year olds bickering

[Roundball_Rock]

Pharcyde, where was your "outrage" when Pippen was being called a poor leader repeatedly on ISH over time? I didn't see you speak up then.

How is the OP anti-MJ? It is only anti-MJ if one believes only Mike should get credit for what happened in the 90's.

[The_Pharcyde]

Pharcyde, where was your "outrage" when Pippen was being called a poor leader repeatedly on ISH over time? I didn't see you speak up then.

How is the OP anti-MJ? It is only anti-MJ if one believes only Mike should get credit for what happened in the 90's.

I don't stalk this board 24/7 looking to fight
But seeing your posts before this, I know your end game

I could care less if someone thinks a plAyer is better than MJ
Who gives a shit, such trivial stuff

[Roundball_Rock]

So what exactly has you about an OP giving credit to a player for his leadership? Do you disagree with Mr. Jackson? Do you have anything substantive to say about the issue at hand? Or are you just because a player other than Mike got some credit?

[The_Pharcyde]

So what exactly has you about an OP giving credit to a player for his leadership? Do you disagree with Mr. Jackson? Do you have anything substantive to say about the issue at hand? Or are you just because a player other than Mike got some credit?

I mean I could go on and on I have read over 10+ on the dynasty bulls
And Phil Jackson

But why would I talk to a troll who is either trying to prop kobe or lebron through a back channel like all the other ones

Anyone else think it is weird that Pippen all of the sudden has so many supporters

Scottie is my guy, I'll never forget his 1993 ECF and blocking charles smith or the 94 dunk on ewing

But anyone who says he was the leader of the Bulls is just lying to themselves
Just enjoy the game and all it's players
These young fans are too dumb to realize that yet

[Roundball_Rock]

But anyone who says he was the leader of the Bulls is just lying to themselves

Ok. So you finally get around to why you are . So Phil Jackson is lying? We are to believe an internet poster over the coach of the team?

Since you were in the locker room and in the huddle, who were the real leaders of the Bulls? You do realize teams often will have more than one leader, even if one guy is the primary leader?

[The_Pharcyde]

Ok. So you finally get around to why you are . So Phil Jackson is lying? We are to believe an internet poster over the coach of the team?

Since you were in the locker room and in the huddle, who were the leaders of the Bulls? You do realize teams often will have more than one leader, even if one guy is the primary leader?

Haha I have read that WHOLE book that you quoted an excerpt from
Pippen was the supporting leader, but Phil makes it clear in 11 rings that Jordan was the leaders leader
Pippen was a leader, but not on the level of Mike

[Roundball_Rock]

Pippen was the supporting leader, but Phil makes it clear in 11 rings that Jordan was the leaders leader
Pippen was a leader, but not on the level of Mike

So let's see the quotes. Even if what you say is true, it contradicts some of his other statements. Moreover, how is it relevant to the OP? So you were at Pippen getting credit for his leadership--called it an affront to Mike--yet here you are diminishing Pippen's leadership in a pro-Pippen thread?

Mike wouldn't even talk to some of his teammates. You do realize it is hard to "lead" when you ignore a percentage of your team, right? Or when you denigrate another portion of the squad. You don't see many people employ MJ's leadership style; there is a reason for that...

Supporting leader?

“Everybody says Michael [Jordan] was a great leader. He led by example, by rebuke, by harsh words. Scottie’s leadership was equally dominant, but [his was] a leadership of patting on the back, of support.”

That and he also ran the offense, defense and was the guy players turned to when they needed--you know--leadership. Not too bad. He did the same things in Portland.

So if this thread was about Fisher being a leader in L.A. would you be salty?

[PJR]

http://youtu.be/bYcjCoy7R4I

Dat leadership!

[juju151111]

Who cares about this nonsense? So if I find Phil and tex winters quotes and post it means what? Mj and Pip were both captains and that's that.