Phil Jackson on Scottie Pippen's as a leader

[Roundball_Rock]

Scottie handled his relationships with his teammates differently, and better, in my opinion...

My first season with the Bulls was the 1993-94 season, the first one Michael did not play because of his initial retirement. In that season I saw Scottie as No. 1...I played with a lot of players--Chris Webber, Mark Aguirre, Sam Perkins--Scottie was head and shoulders above all of those players in terms of leadership and what he stood for as a team basketball player...

...But what Scottie represented to me is a player whom I would pick 1st for my team every time. Even if Michael was available, I would pick Scottie Pippen...

...Scottie led that team ['93-'94 Bulls] to 55 wins...Maybe it's apples to oranges, but that season was an indication of what Scottie was capable of doing as a team leader."

“He was phenomenal. He really did carry that team,” Wennington said of Pippen during the 1993-94 season. “He pretty much put that team on his shoulders. No one was expecting a whole lot to happen, but we ended up winning 55 games. Scottie was the heart and soul of that team. He took a lot of the big shots and was the reason we won some big games. I can’t say enough for how he stepped in so quickly and going from one of two guys to ‘the guy.’”

As for Pippen’s leadership, he became a team captain for the first time in his career and regularly worked with all players, most notably during practice. Wennington said those kinds of actions went a long way, especially with the team’s reserves.


“He was very helpful and never derogatory,” recalled Wennington. “I was a new guy. I wasn’t even supposed to be on the team. But he was willing to help me out in practice when we were learning plays or working on the best way to cover a guy. He was able to talk to me without giving the impression like I was below him. He really wanted me to succeed and do well because that made him better.”

Pippen put his team first, something that was evident by his actions on the court.

“Scottie made everyone better because he was unselfish,” said Wennington. “He’d move the ball to the right spot. He had such a great basketball mind and really understood what was happening on the floor. He was always willing to help out his teammates and make them better.”

Off the court, Pippen looked out for his teammates as well. Wennington recalled a film room session in which the team was discussing a defensive scheme. In one scenario, Wennington wasn’t supposed to double team in the post, so he followed his man towards the top of the key. Pippen was isolated on his man and offered to help cover Wennington’s assignment as well, so he sent him back down low to assist. Jackson took note of Wennington’s double team and began to lay in to the center.

“Before I could even answer, Scottie said, ‘Phil, I told him to do it.’ That to me spoke volumes about what type of guy he was,” said Wennington. “With your teammates, when something happens on the floor, you work together. Coaches don’t always know why you do something; they may think you broke a play. Scottie stood up for me and that speaks volumes about him as a person.”

I’m honored to know him.

In your final season, you have called it Scottie's defining year, which was also his favorite season. What did you see from him that maybe you hadn't before in the 1993-94 campaign?

"It was the first time he was in a position of leadership more on his own than any other time. Nothing really changed. What people don't remember about that year was that we got off to a real slow start. Scottie was hurt at the beginning of the year and we were 4-7 coming back at the end of an early trip. At that point, we were kind of disjointed because we were trying to incorporate [Toni] Kukoc into the lineup. I had a good view because I was hurt for most of the year. It was at that point that I think Scottie got in his mind, 'You know what? This is my team. I've got to lead.' And he did. It's really remarkable when you think about it. 55 wins is terrific. It became a 70-game season because we started off 4-7. That was really when mentally it kicked in for him. We always knew he could do it. I think the one thing I found interesting that year was that statistically, things didn't change much for him. He didn't look at it like he had to take on everything, and that's where teammates loved him. He had his best statistical year, but he found a way to make his teammates feel a part of it, reward them when they were open, and do all those things that he had done before, but not just in a little different role. So many people had written us off that year because we didn't have Michael. Everyone said that we were going to win 25-30 games. Scottie kind of said, 'Nope, it's not going to happen.' He led us to 55."

[jayfan]

http://youtu.be/bYcjCoy7R4I

Dat leadership!

This.

And he doesn't even regret it.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baske...l#.U9USwhB-TIU





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[Roundball_Rock]

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.

Who cares? Evidently a lot of people who dismiss Pippen as a leader.

MJ, Pippen and Cartwright were captains. Correct. What do they have to do with this?

[Roundball_Rock]

Were you on the team?

This.

And he doesn't even regret it.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baske...l#.U9USwhB-TIU

A teammate of Pippen’s for five seasons, Wennington cited an infamous moment from Pippen’s career to tell the story of what made him such an extraordinary teammate.

“He was very accountable,” Wennington explained. “A lot of people want to talk about the 1.8 seconds and how Scottie didn’t play. But Scottie came into the locker room immediately after the game and understood what he did. He apologized to his teammates.”

The incident Wennington was referring to, of course, was during the 1994 Eastern Conference semifinals, when the Bulls faced the New York Knicks. With Game 3 tied and 1.8 seconds remaining, the final play was designed so that Pippen would inbound the ball to rookie Toni Kukoc, who would then take the potential game-winning shot. Pippen was upset by the call and watched from the team bench as Kukoc connected at the buzzer to secure the win.

“The media will never know what he said, but the way he handled it resolved the situation instantly,” said Wennington. “Scottie knew he made a mistake and that’s what people don’t understand. That was only my second year in Chicago, but I had all the respect in the world for Scottie after that.”

[juju151111]

Who cares? Evidently a lot of people who dismiss Pippen as a leader.

MJ, Pippen and Cartwright were captains. Correct. What do they have to do with this?

Pippen leadership got questioned when he got upset he couldn't take a shot and sulked on the bench. The next year he was campaign ing for Mj to come back.

[Roundball_Rock]

Pippen leadership got questioned when he got upset he couldn't take a shot and sulked on the bench. The next year he was campaign ing for Mj to come back.

Questioned by who? Not his coaches. Not his teammates.

What does MJ have to do this? MJ had an important leadership role in Chicago in practice and by helping weed out mistakes.

[jayfan]

Were you on the team?

Did you read the article? His quotes? Take it up with Pippen if you don't like what he said. Certainly not the first time he's come off as a douche.







.

[Roundball_Rock]

Did you read the article? His quotes? Take it up with Pippen if you don't like what he said. Certainly not the first time he's come off as a douche.

Did you read what the guy who was in the locker room said? Note that he mentions the public will never know what was said.

It is interesting you are calling him a douche. His teammates and coaches universally rave about him. Maybe he was/is a douche. I don't know what he does outside of being a basketball player. What I do know from following the Bulls and being a Pippen fan that the people within the team thought he was a great person. The key word is "person." A lot of what they note is beyond basketball statistics, i.e. Wennington talking about Pippen helping him even though he was a scrub. Jud Buechler noted Pippen always had a warm word to say to him and other players. Steve Kerr mentioned how Pippen would encourage him when he was struggling--and then orchestrate the offense to get him a good shot to get his confidence back. Remember, Kerr took Pippen in the second round of TNT's all-time draft.

When people consistently praise a player as a teammate, or coaches praise a player I conclude there is something to it. These are the people who were in the trenches with him. They were there when the cameras weren't rolling.

In my study of leadership I have found every leader has flaws. What makes them great sometimes also leads to a weakness. Pippen is no exception.

[juju151111]

Questioned by who? Not his coaches. Not his teammates.

What does MJ have to do this? MJ had an important leadership role in Chicago in practice and by helping weed out mistakes.

By every body. Every thing you do I'd see n by teammates. You can't act like that

[Calabis]

My name is Roundball....and I just started my _____tenth anti-jordan thread. For my latest act, I will prop up Pippen all month through multiple threads and posts, telling people how he lead the Bulls to multiple chips and could have won chips without the Jordan guy. I hope you enjoy the show.

[mehyaM24]

jordan was like vegeta-raw talent, skill, ruthlessness
pippen was goku-innate leadership, no weaknesses

phil had more trust in pippen because he was the steady player of the two. while jordan scored a lot of points and made his defender pay, scottie took the bulls offense by the horns and made opposing TEAM DEFENSES (and offenses) pay.

[juju151111]

jordan was like vegeta-raw talent, skill, ruthlessness
pippen was goku-innate leadership, no weaknesses

phil had more trust in pippen because he was the steady player of the two. while jordan scored a lot of points and made his defender pay, scottie took the bulls offense by the horn and made opposing TEAM DEFENSES (and offenses) pay.

Mj was the leader in playoffs asts in 89,90,91, and 93. Stop talking nonsense bro

[mehyaM24]

Mj was the leader in playoffs asts in 89,90,91, and 93. Stop talking nonsense bro

very impressive, but that doesn't negate pippen's playmaking duties (the bulls also won more titles when pippen was THE assist guy-92,96,97,98).

[Roundball_Rock]

This thread epitomizes the problem with Jordan mythologists. The mythology has reached such a ridiculous level that MJ stans can't handle any other player on Chicago getting credit. Pippen ran the offense, ran the defense and served a valuable leadership role with his teammates on and off the court--and we are supposed to pretend it didn't happen. Pippen did the same things when he went to Portland.

very impressive, but that doesn't negate pippen's playmaking duties (the bulls also won more titles when pippen was THE assist guy-92,96,97,98).

MJ had an insane usage rate in the playoffs--easily the highest in history. Of course he would get assists when he had the ball so much. It was Pippen who set up the offense, though, from 1991-1998. In Portland he shared those duties with Stoudemire at times; when it shifted fully to Pippen Portland did much better...

[LeBird]

The thread is about Pippen and the Jordan revolutionary guard are here with their batons. If you couldn't criticise Jordan before, now know that you can't even praise one of his teammates.

Honestly, these posters are sick in the head - they're not trolling, this is how they think. It's like they've tied their own personal self-esteem to the Jordan brand and take it as a personal insult if anything in any way, shape or form detracts from it - even if that is just their own loony projection and not really intended.