Leadership: Scottie Pippen's teammates on Pippen as a team leader

[Roundball_Rock]

This is the sequel to the previous thread containing quotes from Phil Jackson, who coached Pippen from 1988-1998.

"Scottie was my favorite Bull...My first season with the Bulls was the 1993-94 season...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...

http://books.google.com/books?id=Eip...page&q&f=false pp.11-17

“Scottie was my favorite teammate to play with,” Wennington said of Pippen, who will enter basketball’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 13. “Despite how the media depicted him and some of the incidents that happened off the court, when you have a teammate like Scottie who is willing to stand up for his actions on the floor, good or bad, it makes playing with him and the team chemistry a whole lot better.”

Pippen 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.”

Speaking of practice, Wennington said that was where Pippen made his mark, along with Jordan, of course. Both players came in each and every day and gave the same level of effort that you would see on a game night. It was that kind of consistency that allowed them to be great and lead in the way they did.

“Scottie wanted to win basketball games and he understood that the harder you work in practice, the easier the games are for you,” said Wennington. “He really put his heart and soul into practice and left it all out on the floor. When you have guys of that talent level who are working that hard, it makes practice fun. You have to compete. There were no off days in practice.”

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.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...on_100802.html

Scottie is one of the best teammates I've ever had. Everyone loves him. He's so unselfish the way he plays and plays so hard. He knows where you'll be and where you want the ball for a shot. And he'll consciously try to get you shots. He'll be aware when you're struggling in a game, or when you've gone awhile without a shot. He would run by and say, "I know you haven't gotten a shot. Don't worry. Next time, I'll get you one." He cares about everyone like no star I've ever played with."

[Roundball_Rock]

"Tremendous teammate, that's what comes to mind when I think of Scottie Pippen. He was a very caring teammate who was always concerned about the team, always concerned about it. He just had a great understanding of the team concept. Everyone talks about a great teammate, but he really was a great guy to play with. He may have been having a 25 or 30-point game, but if he knew you were struggling, he'd find a way to get you going as well. He's that type of guy."

PAXSON: PIPPEN WAS VERY ENCOURAGING AS A TEAMMATE

"The subtle things that he did so well-defensively helping his teammates, recovering out to guys offensively, making plays, being unselfish-those are things that teammates always recognize and noticed," John Paxson said of Scottie Pippen. "You always felt like Scottie had your back."

Scottie was very encouraging as a teammate. He was the type of guy that if you weren't playing well, or you missed a few shots in a row or had your head hanging down, he was going to encourage you to look for your shot. That was really important for a lot of us because we respected him as a player, and as a person, for the way he approached the game and worked at his craft. The fact that he would encourage the majority of his time was a big thing for us."

When you talk about Scottie encouraging, is there a moment that comes to mind in the locker room or behind closed doors that the general public might not see or understand?

"I remember often in games, with me, if I was struggling with my shot, he would keep looking for me. He would keep saying, 'One's going to go down.' It's just how he was and that was pretty important for us. We all understood the pecking order, believe me. But to have one of your best players out there encouraging and wanting you to do well was always important.

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...55 wins is terrific. It became a 70-game season because we started off 4-7...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."

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...on_100812.html

Just as so many of his other teammates have regularly done, Rodman was only following suit for the player who garnered so much respect throughout his 17 season career and will enter basketball’s Hall of Fame Friday in Springfield, Mass.

“Scottie was supportive. Michael was like his big brother and I came in as the black sheep of the family,” Rodman said of his Chicago arrival in 1995. “I did my wild thing, but it was cool and we kept it together. Scottie was right in the middle of that team and he supported us all.”

http://blogs.bulls.com/2010/08/rodma...pen-to-lebron/

“Scottie would score four points and dominate the game,” said Steve Kerr, who always listed Pippen as his favorite teammate. “That’s what made him one of the best to ever play the game.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...th_100812.html

Steve Kerr used to recount times on the floor he’d go several minutes and not get a shot and become a bit wary. He said Pippen would run by him and say, “I know you haven’t gotten a shot. Don’t worry. Next time, I’ll get you one.” Kerr said it was uncanny Pippen seemed to know what everyone on the court needed.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...th_100812.html

"He was the most popular teammate we had," says Grant. "You could laugh with him and joke and he wasn't the kind of guy who got mad. He was a fun teammate, fun to be around and always cared about everyone. If you had a problem, you could always talk it out with him. And he loved the game and the team. He was unselfish, but unselfish to a fault. We knew when he had the ball he was going to make a play and score or find the open guy. We had some great times."

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...nt_100810.html

He was just unbelievable. I never viewed Scottie as a guy who needed to score hoops to feel good about himself. That wasn’t his motivation. He was always about wins and losses.”

“Scottie was the anchorman,” he explained. “He was the Jack of all trades and did everything for us—he rebounded the ball, made plays, and had assists to Steve [Kerr] and those guys to make sure they felt like they belonged. Defensively, he guarded on the perimeter and the interior. He did everything imaginable, which made everyone else’s job kind of easy.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...rs_100804.html

Where Pippen really made his mark was practice, Armstrong said, where he and Jordan set a standard in which teammates had no choice but to follow.

“As good as he was in games—and he was terrific—he was that much better in practice,” recalled Armstrong. “He and Michael were the best practice players I’ve ever seen. I have no idea why they loved it so much or what their reasoning was, but they enjoyed practice. Scottie never complained about practice; he always showed up with that smile on his face. He was a great practice player and the ultimate professional in that regard.”

“If your best players are taking a shortcut, they’re going to have problems holding everyone else accountable and responsible. Both Michael and Scottie were very accountable and responsible young men to their team, the franchise and themselves. They took their jobs very seriously and that made everyone else hold themselves accountable.”

“Everyone talks about a great teammate, but he really was a great guy to play with. He may have been having a 25 or 30-point game, but if he knew you were struggling, he’d find a way to get you going as well.”

“Tremendous teammate, that’s what comes to mind when I think of Scottie Pippen,” said Armstrong. “He was a very caring teammate who was always concerned about the team. The way he played and expressed himself on the floor exemplified who he was as a player. He was so versatile—he could defend, rebound and pass. He had a great understanding of the game and he was a wonderful athlete. He is so deserving of being in the Hall of Fame.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...ng_100803.html

“Scottie was not only a great player, but a great teammate as well,” said Paxson. “He was unselfish on the floor and encouraged his teammates to be aggressive and positive out there. Scottie was the type of guy that if you missed four or five shots, he wouldn't hesitate to give you the ball when you were open again. He did it because not only was it the right basketball play, but to show you his confidence in your ability.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/jor...en_100406.html

"He was accountable for his actions on the floor," Wennington said. "Usually, other players get blamed for stars' mistakes. Scottie wasn't like that. He worked hard at practice every day, even if he was banged up."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...-immortality/2

[Roundball_Rock]

One of John Paxson's first moves after succeeding Krause as general manager in 2003 was to sign Pippen to a two-year contract that summer. Though Pippen played just 23 games before he physically was forced to retire, his locker-room presence positively affected young Bulls such as Kirk Hinrich.

"He helped restore a culture of professionalism," Paxson said.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...-immortality/2

time for the man who has become such a calming force in the swirl that is the Bulls. "Scottie Pippen sets the tone for this basketball team," said Jordan, who only sets the tone for sports history. There was a time when Pippen was the loose cannon, the whiner who quit a playoff game, the lost soul who carried a loaded gun and was making headlines for assault charges and paternity suits. Now he has emerged as the central leader of the Bulls, reining in Dennis Rodman, pumping up the bench and providing inspiration.

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/...ticle-1.764563

the results were a direct reflection of his personality and game. His unselfish nature led to a wonderful season of distributing the ball, directing the Chicago offense and helping the Jordan-less squad to 55 wins. Tex Winter asserts that the 93-94 Bulls ran the triangle offense more efficiently than any of his other NBA teams, mainly because of Scottie's direction and ballhandling skills.

Pippen won the All-Star game MVP that season and was third in the balloting for the league's Most Valuable Player award. And he was one bad call away from leading Chicago to a playoff upset of the favored Knicks.

The truth is that Scottie Pippen was a fabulous basketball player and an even better teammate. And while his human vulnerability got the best of him from time to time, he was a totally unselfish basketball player who loved to share the ball with his teammates. Without Pippen, Jordan and the Bulls never would have won six rings in the 1990s.

Scottie complemented Michael perfectly. MJ wanted to score, and Pippen wanted to pass. MJ was relentlessly hard on his teammates; Scottie was nurturing and patient.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pippens...0065--nba.html

"He could laugh in pressure situations. It wasn't that he was a clown. But he could break tension. And he grew so much and became authoritative. Let's face it: He came from a tiny town in Arkansas all the way to the NBA. That's a hell of an adjustment he made, and he made it quickly. He kept adding as his career progressed — skills, leadership, you name it. That's a rare trait."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...ba-immortality

Pippen's leadership inspires Portland
Trail Blazers teammates agree Pippen has been a catalyst in conference finals

By Bob Baum
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. - Without Scottie Pippen, the Portland Trail Blazers were loaded with talent but low on leadership. With him, they're still alive in the Western Conference finals.

"He attacked the basket at every opportunity," teammate Greg Anthony said. "When it wasn't there, we just made sure we got into a decent set offensively, and he was everywhere on defense, so his energy as our leader is going to be paramount to our success."

Pippen knows his teammates look to him to set the tempo.

http://www.caller2.com/2000/june/07/...ts_n/1953.html

He had the Trail Blazers believing in themselves, where previous editions of this team might have collapsed.

"He's our veteran player, he's our leader and we just tried to follow suit behind him," backup guard Bonzi Wells said. "He's been there. We just try to follow his lead. He just said we've got to play hard, we've got to be intense out there. We're the only people that are rooting for each other in this gym.

"We've got to stay together, and if we stay together, good things will happen."

http://articles.latimes.com/2000/may/31/sports/sp-35965

"Scottie is one of the best teammates I've ever had," said [Steve] Kerr, who had played with Phoenix, Cleveland, and Orlando before coming to the Bulls as a minimum-earnings free agent in 1994. "Everyone loves him. He's so unselfish the way he plays and plays so hard. He knows where you'll be and where you want the ball for a shot. And he'll consciously try to get you shots. He'll be aware when you're struggling in a game, or when you've gone awhile without a shot. He cares about everyone like no star I've ever played with. It's a shame he has the reputation he does."

It was a fact: the media and the fans loved Jordan; the players loved Pippen.

"I'd say, with the players, Scottie was the most popular," said Jud Buechler, who joined the team for the 1994-95 season. "No question, if you had a problem, it was Scottie you would go to."

But it was Pippen who charmed the players. "Scottie always has a kind word for you, a 'hello' at practice," said Buechler, another player Jordan didn't talk to. "He's a really nice guy."

http://thepaintedarea.blogspot.com/2...ppen-play.html

It was Pippen who directed the triangle offense, enabling Jordan to get in position on the wing to attack the defense. It was Pippen who was the good teammate. Steve Kerr used to say how Pippen not only would get you the good shot, Pippen knew when you were slumping or hadn't had a shot in a while and he'd work the offense to get you a good shot to get going. It was Pippen who was the more favored teammate.

One definition of greatness is making other players better, and Pippen did that.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...sam&id=1895719

"Jordan always felt Pippen was something special," longtime Bulls assistant Tex Winter said. "Michael realized how easy it was to play with him and how he helped make his teammates better.

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

“To this day, that was my favorite team,” said Reinsdorf of the 1993-94 Bulls squad. “We would have gone to the Finals if it weren’t for a horrible call in New York. Scottie was clearly the leader of that team. He stepped up and he was the man.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/pip...rf_100806.html

Teammates loved to play with him. I remember Steve Kerr saying Scottie would always know when Kerr had gone a bit without a shot and needed the ball to get in rhythm. So Pippen would mention it and know exactly where Kerr wanted the shot from and deliver the ball right in shooting motion to make for the best release.

It was what the great point guards could do.

his instincts for the best for the team and his teammates always were transcendent.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/pippen3_100405.html

“He was a perfect teammate because he was so unselfish,” Reinsdorf added. “That’s not just with respect to Michael, but all of his teammates. The ball was always moving when Scottie was on the court. It never seemed to stay in his hands long and was always headed someplace.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/reinsd...en_100402.html

"As a coach, you loved him," said Mike Dunleavy, Portland's coach at the time. "He was the glue. The pro. And he was the guy who made the pass that led to the assist, the guy that made the deflection that led to the steal, and the guy who made the rebound that led to the fast break."

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbla...scottie_p.html

[ImKobe]

Makes you realize how valuable Pippen was to the 90s Bulls, not just his numbers but his leadership.

He'll always be in Michael's shadow and people will keep ranking him too low all-time because of MJ, but he was an amazing teammate on all accounts and top 5 SF all-time.

[LoneyROY7]

I agree with OP's premise.

Pippen > Jordan.

[Roundball_Rock]

Makes you realize how valuable Pippen was to the 90s Bulls, not just his numbers but his leadership.

He'll always be in Michael's shadow and people will keep ranking him too low all-time because of MJ, but he was an amazing teammate on all accounts and top 5 SF all-time.

Don't forget his defensive versatility. That also enhanced his impact beyond stats--even when he was past his prime in Portland.

[JellyBean]

Thanks for posting this information, Roundball_Rock. Even though I hated the Bulls back in the day, Scottie was one of those players I always rooted for and respected. I think for me, it was because he came from humble beginnings, did not have a lot, and he worked his butt off. This is why, probably, he related better with his teammates when compared to Jordan.

[GrapeApe]

What is the point of all these "Scottie was one of the Bulls leader" threads?

We all know he was up there in the hierarchy of the leadership in the Bulls dynasty. MJ, Scottie, and Phil are the only three consistent members in all 6 championships.

This is all redundancy, and I don't think anyone cares at this point. We all know Scottie was the nice guy teammate, the good cop. The one who doesn't hold you as accountable, so of course he'll be more liked. Player friendly coach, or teammate always gets more love.

I have to agree here. Pippen was a great player, leader, and locker room presence. I don't think anyone questions this except perhaps Jordan stans with an agenda and you're not convincing those idiots of anything anyway. It's definitely getting redundant at this point.

[97 bulls]

What is the point of all these "Scottie was one of the Bulls leader" threads?

We all know he was up there in the hierarchy of the leadership in the Bulls dynasty. MJ, Scottie, and Phil are the only three consistent members in all 6 championships.

This is all redundancy, and I don't think anyone cares at this point. We all know Scottie was the nice guy teammate, the good cop. The one who doesn't hold you as accountable, so of course he'll be more liked. Player friendly coach, or teammate always gets more love.

Wow. Youre such a hater. Even your compliments have derogatory overtones.

Why not just say "nice finds Rock." And move on.

[FKAri]

What is the point of all these "Scottie was one of the Bulls leader" threads?

We all know he was up there in the hierarchy of the leadership in the Bulls dynasty. MJ, Scottie, and Phil are the only three consistent members in all 6 championships.

This is all redundancy, and I don't think anyone cares at this point. We all know Scottie was the nice guy teammate, the good cop. The one who doesn't hold you as accountable, so of course he'll be more liked. Player friendly coach, or teammate always gets more love.

All that means is Pippen was HUGE. Not necessarily MJ isn't packing. She was content with Pippen. LMAO @ these clowns straight reaching.

Cmon brah. that d1ck too small for you to be ridin all the time.

[Roundball_Rock]

Thanks for posting this information, Roundball_Rock. Even though I hated the Bulls back in the day, Scottie was one of those players I always rooted for and respected. I think for me, it was because he came from humble beginnings, did not have a lot, and he worked his butt off. This is why, probably, he related better with his teammates when compared to Jordan.

Great points. I agree his humble beginnings, both as a player and a person, helped him become a great leader. He could identify more with "scrubs" like Wennington because he literally was once the guy handing out towels. I also think his background helped him develop an unselfish game because he was a PG before his late growth spurt.

Wow. Youre such a hater. Even your compliments have derogatory overtones.

Why not just say "nice finds Rock." And move on.

Exactly. These guys spent years dissing Pippen as a leader and as soon as someone calls them out by doing the homework and posting hard evidence they scream bloody murder. Think about it: have you ever seen stanning to a point where they seek to silence opinions they disagree with? What is the problem with the OP? If certain people get enraged at evidence of Pippen's leadership they could have ignored the thread. As you know, though, these trolls attempt to hijack every pro-Pippen thread.

Cmon brah. that d1ck too small for you to be ridin all the time.

. The one who doesn't hold you as accountable

Except his teammates say he did. This is the kind of misinformation the OP seeks to combat.

[97 bulls]

Nice finds Rock. Shows how Pip was viewd by his teammates.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Great player and good lockeroom guy. Jordan's 'partner in crime'

[GrapeApe]

BTW, I didn't mean to sound like a douche in my previous post and I enjoyed reading the material and excerpts. Pippen is and always has been one of my favorite players. Just be careful about coming accross as having an agenda. That tends to draw in the haters.

[Roundball_Rock]

Nice finds Rock. Shows how Pip was viewd by his teammates.

Thanks. There is so much speculation among fans and the press on every issue it is always helpful to hear from those who have direct knowledge, whether it is coaches or teammates. It is revealing that his teammates and coaches universally praise him. Part of why I wanted to post quotes is because anyone who reads this will see his teammates said the same things about him. There is always bias among individuals but when you have a critical mass of direct sources saying the same things you know there is something to it. All of Pippen's teammates made the same basic points. Pippen simply was a great leader, great teammate and was helpful to teammates on and off the court.