Last Updated on July 22, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Scottie Pippen redefined the role of the modern wing by blending elite defense, versatile playmaking, and unselfish leadership into one complete package. As Michael Jordan’s indispensable teammate during the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty, he helped deliver six NBA championships while establishing himself as one of the greatest all-around players and perimeter defenders the game has ever seen.
Here’s a detailed profile of basketballer Scottie Pippen:
- Full Name: Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr.
- Nickname: Pip, No Tippin’ Pippen”
- Nationality: American
- DOB: Born September 25, 1965
- Hometown: Hamburg, Arkansas, USA
- Height: 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm)
- Weight: 228 pounds (103 kg)
- Wingspan: 7 feet 0 inches (213 cm)
- Shoe Size: 16 (US)
- Number: #33 (Chicago Bulls), #33 (Houston Rockets), #33 (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Position: Small Forward
- High School:
- Hamburg High School (Hamburg, Arkansas)
- College:
- University of Central Arkansas (1983–1987)
- NBA Draft: Selected 5th overall in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics (rights traded to the Chicago Bulls)
- Teams Played For:
- Chicago Bulls (1987–1998, 2003–2004)
- Houston Rockets (1998–1999)
- Portland Trail Blazers (1999–2003)
- Championship Rings: 🏆 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 with the Chicago Bulls) (Chicago Bulls Championships)
- Kids:
- Scottie Pippen has eight children, including notable ones like Scotty Pippen Jr. (professional basketball player) and Antron Pippen (deceased).
- Siblings:
- Scottie was the youngest of 12 children in his family.
- Retirement Age: 38
- Retirement Year: 2003-2004
- Career Earnings: Scottie Pippen Contract History
The player archetype of Scottie Pippen was a point forward who could defend nearly every position while seamlessly connecting an offense. His extraordinary length, mobility, and anticipation made him a constant source of steals, deflections, and transition opportunities, often taking the toughest perimeter assignment. Rather than dominating the scoring, Pippen created advantages with his passing, open-floor play, and timely attacks, giving championship teams a uniquely balanced presence on both ends.
Scouting Report
Scottie Pippen had a rare ability to influence possessions without needing them to revolve around him, and that’s a much harder skill than it sounds. What stands out is how comfortably he operated as a secondary creator, catching the ball after the initial action and immediately attacking a defense that was already shifting. He was exceptional at turning small advantages into great ones, pushing the ball after rebounds, slipping into the paint off high pick-and-rolls, or making the extra pass a beat before the weak-side rotation could recover. His handle was long and controlled, allowing him to cover ground quickly without rushing, and once he got downhill he consistently found cutters and corner shooters because he kept his eyes up instead of committing to the finish too early. Defensively, few wings have covered as much territory. He navigated screens without giving away angles, disrupted passing lanes through anticipation rather than reckless gambling, and could peel switch or rotate as the low man without losing track of the next action. That’s where his value became extraordinary. He didn’t simply defend his own assignment—he repaired possessions that had already broken down somewhere else. The trade-off was that he wasn’t naturally wired to dominate possessions as a pure isolation scorer, so asking him to manufacture difficult shots against set defenses every trip diminished what made him special. To me, his ideal role is beside a primary scorer who draws the first layer of defensive attention, giving Pippen the freedom to orchestrate the second and third actions where his decision-making becomes overwhelming. It’s easy to overlook how much of his offense came from reading movement instead of creating it from scratch, and that’s precisely why he elevated structured teams built around cutting, spacing and quick ball movement. Stylistically, there are shades of Jalen Williams in the way he attacks advantages without forcing the issue, while his defensive range and connective playmaking resemble a bigger version of Mikal Bridges at his most disruptive, although Pippen combined those traits with a level of on-ball creation that very few perimeter defenders have ever matched.
Notes:
- Scottie Pippen’s height with shoes is typically listed as 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm) even though his measurement without shoes is also 6 feet 8 inches. This contradiction is said to be caused by Pippen’s measurements being taken before the NBA was strict on them, meaning he is probably 6 feet 8 inches in shoes.
- Scottie Pippen’s playing weight during his NBA career was listed as 228 pounds (103 kg).
- Similar players to Scottie Pippen include Tracy McGrady, Paul George, Danny Granger, and Andrew Wiggins.
Player Insights
Player Overview: Steve Kerr once said that Scottie Pippen was the second-best player in the NBA when he played alongside Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls. I’m not convinced Scottie was that good, but I believe Jordan wouldn’t have won championships without Pippen. As great as Jordan was, he had numerous things working in his favor. One of them was Dennis Rodman as he aged and needed Rodman’s fitness on the court, and the other main one was Pippen always being there. 1/1/2025