An Honest Breakdown of Scottie Pippen

[@jonnyarnett]

At his best, how good was Scottie Pippen? A top 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20 player? NOTE: Thanks for the positive feedback on the Ultimate Teams Series. I will continue it since so many of you want it. The Ultimate Bucks Team drops tomorrow... UPDATE: Dame just got traded to the Bucks.... sooo tomorrows video will be about that. The day AFTER tomorrow will be the Ultimate Bucks Team (lol, convenient timing).

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

Top 20.

[@chitownsuperfan]

Top 3 defensive player, top 20 overall

[@gadaboss]

Top 5 defensively

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

I don't understand, is this question about all time players, or only players in his era. If we talk only about 90s, at his best Pippen was probably top 10

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

@@chitownsuperfan all time?? I don't think so. But if you talk about 90s, I definitely agree.

[@freddycruz5969]

Its crazy. Jordan has basically the same stats as Pippen but with 12 more points

[@jonnyarnett]

Exactly. They were so similar in every area other than as a scorer. If Pippen averaged 30 a game on 50% shooting, then he was basically Michael Jordan. lol.

[@silvionSalsa]

those are averages. 32pts means this guys is occasionally scoring 40s and 50s. 20pt average mean this guys is occassionally scoring 12 and 15

[@martinofrancois2749]

​@@jonnyarnettthank you so much making this video this is why scottie pippen will never be at the level of micheal jordan

[@martinofrancois2749]

​@@jonnyarnettyou are the second best youtube channel of all times

[@freddycruz5969]

@@silvionSalsa i know what averages are

[@elliota.1063]

I think Pippen reached the level of a top ten player in '94 (the season after MJ retired). Except for defense, he wasn't a master of any stat category, but neither were most stars. If you're a "jack of all trades, master of none" you tend to be underrated (yet effective). Scottie wasn't as flashy as many others, but he flat out did all the things required to improve your team, and did them all well. That should count a lot.

[@nufaa5313]

💯

[@Chilltown95]

That’s similar to Kawhi

[@bowtieguy377]

It counts a lot to me and why he is my favorite player.

[@TreFKennedy]

1:27 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 i respect the honesty regarding wanting your truck Johnny lol

[@BigSheldonTheory]

The "and help me get my new truck!" Made me giggle like a little kid, caught me by surprise 😅😅

[@brandangreen1390]

Lol

[@graysonflows]

Jonny gettin that bag. Good for him.

[@carsrfun699]

Firstly, I hope you get your new truck. Your channel, the Thinking basketball channel for film study, and Secret base’s channel for what was going on in the locker room/ media wise have been great for researching the nuances of the game that get blurred out due to recency bias. This video in particular means a lot to me as a young basketball fan who’s learning about Pippen without him being over or underrated due to the “Goat debate”. I personally have Pippen top 50 all time and top 15 in the entire 90’s.

[@TheoBrownMusic7]

In regards to defense. One thing people don't seem to pay attention to is the 1991 finals. The reason the Bulls made the switch to have Scottie guard Magic instead of MJ guarding Magic is not cuz MJ was having trouble with Magic. They made the switch because Scottie was getting eaten alive by James Worthy. So they made the switch. In fact, Magic's scoring went up when Scottie switched on him

[@_M....]

This. if people actually watch the tape, Magic had 0 points when MJ was guarding him. Worthy was killing Pippen.

[@TheoBrownMusic7]

@@_M.... facts!

[@Kreontas]

Thank you, injured Worthy was roasting Pippen, while MJ was doing a great good job on Magic.

[@jefferybarefield6372]

Jordan guarded Magic 85% of the time in 91

[@jrsmith1998]

Every last one of you and your revisionist history lol

[@dinheiroligando]

The “new truck” part caught me off guard! 😂 Pippen was really good, imo his offense was not that great bc he was molded by the Bulls to be focused on other areas, as Jordan carried the offense. Great video, man! 🙏🏽

[@dejanrancic7409]

When we think of top 5, 10, 20 players, it's usually players who can take over a game. Scottie Pippen was never that kind of player. But if you needed opponents' top players locked down, Pippen was your man for sure. Being able to drop twenty was an added bonus, which is why he worked so well with Jordan.

[@d3va383]

For me he’s #27

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

Do you forget how good he played without Jordan during MJ's first retirement, and when he played for the Blazers? Scotty was that dude, and every team knew it. Teams planned for him as well as MJ. Like people who actually played with him and against him have said that, but u people who watched from the sidelines want say different. Please make that make sense

[@wallacepemberton932]

Unless the opposing player is very good, like Wilkins, Mashburn, Grant Hill, Penny, and Magic.

[@wallacepemberton932]

​​@@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591 people that watched from the sidelines are more knowledgeable of what took place than people that didnt watch at all. Duhhhh Do you remember how good he was when Jordan retired? Or when he was the 3rd or 4th leading scorer with Portland? How bout how he sucked in Houston? Im sure you dont remember what you didnt see but want to talk about as if you did.

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

@@wallacepemberton932 U do know he played in Portland and was showing off before he got injured and he went to the finals without Jordan. People from the sidelines are a less knowledgeable when they don't know WTF they are talking about. U blatantly left out all the good to make a point that is wrong. NBA PLAYERS say that man was a beast so who tf are you to say different if you didn't play at that level

[@Fernando-vg4ym]

What you failed to mention was that Pippen himself said he needed MJ's guidance and push to become the player he was. Without MJ, Pippen would've been just another average player and we probably wouldn't even know who he is.

[@RLSmith-jt8qj]

No. Guidance is great. But he had to do the work. First and foremost Sottie pushed himself. Mj added and extra push

[@Fernando-vg4ym]

@@RLSmith-jt8qj Maybe so. But if it hadn't been for MJ Pippen wouldn't have done the work to begin with. Pippen, himsel,f said so.

[@RLSmith-jt8qj]

@@Fernando-vg4ym He still has to do the work. And no one can do that but him.

[@Fernando-vg4ym]

@@RLSmith-jt8qj I'm not arguing that point. But without MJ's push, he would not have done the work to begin with.

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

How tf can you say that with no proof. All that probably crap makes no sense when it didn't happen and can't go back to prove it. They both impacted each other on the court. They made each other better. U do realize Jordan didn't win anything without Scotty?

[@marcmata5574]

It'd be kinda cool to see a video of your top 20 role players of all time. We talk so much about who the top superstars are but never feature the people who helped them acquire team accolades.

[@havindascott9961]

This is probably the most important comment on this post we act as if it isn't a team sport

[@MrTonyJ]

The thing about Isiah and Magic is they could score 40 any time they wanted to but chose to do 10-15 assists instead most of the time. Such point guards no longer exist.

[@fortynights1513]

Some argue that in general averaging ten assists or more means your offense was too predictable. Maybe there’s more ball movement now?

[@fkm8374]

And now you got Jokic who can pretty much do the same plus having minimum 10 rebounds a game...

[@jimmyboy131]

@@fortynights1513 If it's too predictable then wouldn't the defense prevent the assists? I think such a statement leaves out too many details, like 'is the point guard actually trying to score?"

[@eddieG667]

@@fortynights1513or maybe different systems for different rules / eras. The ball dominating point guard was ideal for setting up low post threats. Inside-out hall. I think the triangle offense being implemented and winning many titles led to the evolution of the game. Phil Jackson talked recently in his interview with Scott Williams on how he thought point guard offenses were vulnerable and he thought he can counter with pressure. That worked well in 1991 and in 98 vs Magic Johnson and Mark Jackson, but neither had the crucial low post threat. Plus Magic was already battle worn and could no longer deal with full court press like he did 87 and earlier. (He was already struggling with Joe Dumars and Rodman’s press in 88 as he no longer had the quickness and stamina)

[@Keith_E]

Trae young is like this

[@thebigone6969]

Pippen lost his mind once his son died, his wife got smashed by future (and now the GOAT’s son) and his wallet went MIA. I honestly feel sorry for the dude. Let’s all chip in $3.50 for Scottie!

[@kenw2225]

Who smashed his wife? What wallet lol

[@thebigone6969]

@@kenw2225 LOL

[@Myytzlplk]

​@kenw2225 one of MJ's sons hooked up with Larsa Pippen a few years ago. There's pics of them together

[@davidcook680]

In some ways it is tough for pippen. I mean he is top hundred player all time. Yet he will always be in Jordans shadow.

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

And I bet he still lives better than you, and accomplished more than you.

[@entium1]

I completely agree with you, I've said it many times, Pip was an elite defender but needed just a little bit more constancy on his offense

[@inteligentidiot7233]

As a fan of his, I really wish he won DPOY or FMVP at least once, but it's really hard to shine brighter than Jordan when he's on your team, or even in general. Still, he was half of the greatest duo in basketball, and that deserves a lot of praise.

[@nicksamp515]

Him not winning a DPOY is an absolute joke. He was for me the best defender in their 72-10 run back in 96, but when it comes to the FMVP, MJ was the clear cut best player on all 6 titles.

[@Dantana773]

Pippen was great at team basketball, He Could impacted the game with out being a top tier player Scorer. And Pippen should have won a defensive player of the year award a few times.

[@tracelawson1367]

Shout out to Jonny for uploading consistent quality content 💪

[@dionysise5008]

underrated...top25 all time easily

[@manwerama]

He was likely the best glue man in the history of the league. From what I remember, shooting was his greatest offensive liability, even as the leader of the Jordanettes, as the 1994 Bulls were nicknamed. :) Jordan was also extremely capable of staying in front of the defender, at least up until the first retirement. I wouldn't say Pippen was better at defense, and I don't think he deserved it more than Jordan, but yes, I do think he should have gotten at leas one nod.

[@brandangreen1390]

Facts

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

Pippin defended the best players on the court every game. Like what are you talking about. Phil literally assigned Scotty to the opponents best player. Like do y'all do some research before commenting.

[@manwerama]

@@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591 He did not. Phil usually assigned defensive tasks by position. So if Scottie defended the best player, it was because the best opponent was at 3.

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

@@manwerama Go do some fking research before commenting. Phil has said and Jordan

[@manwerama]

@@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591 If you actually watched any games, you wouldn't have to go by what anybody said.

[@benkesler487]

The more I learn about the championship Bulls teams, the more I appreciate how well the team fit together. Pippen, Kerr, and Rodman weren't superstars, but they were some of the best role players in the exact ways needed to round out the team

[@gibtherockermusic]

I agree overall with all you said. Pippen I'd say was a top 10 player in the 90s, maybe at times top5. I would add something though: he was even better on defense than you described. In fact, he was amazing at double teaming and recovering, and at covering space while still staying with his man. He basically defended 3 positions by himself at times.

[@Chuck_A_Luck_Stank]

Pippin was my favorite player growing up, but I knew even then, Mike was the best player & why. Pip was a playmaker, important part of the game flow.

[@MrTonyJ]

Grant Hill was closer to “Lebron before Lebron” than Scottie was.

[@jonnyarnett]

I agree. Both Hill and Scottie have made this claim, but it carried more weight when Hill said it. Dude could score like LeBron, and was also a Triple-Double threat consistently. Plus Hill's health never allowed him to reach his full potential, which also works in his favor when making such a bold claim.

[@_M....]

Bulls wanted to trade Pippen for grant Hill and they got laughed at.

[@Getdown8319]

I disagree, lebron has the passing gift. That bird magic awareness. But the speed, athleticism, with the size is what makes lebron different. Neither pippen or hill were ever lebron. That’s not a diss they are amazing and at their peaks legendary point forwards.

[@jefferybarefield6372]

Absolutely

[@shaft9000]

@@Getdown8319 the Q is who's _closer_ to LeBron, not who's just like him. You can do this kind of comparison between literally ~any~ 3 players.

[@matthewbartke4424]

6:20ish I wonder why people like showing Pippen guarding Magic and often bring up as some great defensive performance. If you watched the game, Magic had his way with Pippen and Pippen didn't guard him that much. Jordan locked Magic down well though. It does look cool though.

[@jaded9234]

Bird has commented on this, _I believe he (Michael Jordan) had the second best player in the league right next to him in Scottie Pippen. You take Michael off that team, and Scottie moves down to fifth. But when Michael was out there with him, they were the best two in the league,"_ . My own view is a little less on Pippen's side anymore, and I'm a guy that had a Pippen binder in school. You see, MJ once remarked that, if he had team of Danny Ainges, he could've ruled the league and I believe it. Certain all-time greats have their bases covered and the rest depends on their team. To use Bird again, like MJ, Bird spent his career being the irreplaceable factor. The man had to go back out and play with a concussion and fractured cheek to save a game, whereas his rivals, the Lakers, always had the manpower to spare. MJ, was the catalyst, for the big plays, for Chicago. He was the one who could get them there AND finish on top. He was the one who was ready for the big moments, it was up to whether his supporting cast could keep up. There is a reason why MJ was able to basically keep up with Pippen's stats while averaging 30+.

[@leptonparticle238]

In the decade of the 1990s Pippen is at best a top 7 player, lowest is about top 12.

[@jakemann6240]

Get that truck Jonny! Lfg!

[@jonnyarnett]

Lol. I love you guys man. So freakin supportive as always

[@Raulbr21]

This is so spot on. Pippen gets so overrated as a player particularly offensively. He was a top 10 player of the 90s but gets constantly ranked in the top 3-5 over guys he was obviously not better like the ones mentioned in the video. He is also a top 10 SF but is constantly mentioned above other players that were clearly better like Baylor, Barry, Havlicek just mainly on popularity or recency bias. Hes a top 30-40 player who is so often even mentioned in the top 20. So much of it is also Lebron fans trying to diminish Mike as I’ve even seen people try to argue Pippen was better than DWade which is just laughable. As great all around as he was he just could not carry a team offensively let alone be the main guy on a championship team.

[@sbh123yt]

Pippen finished third in mvp voting for 93-94 season. The bulls won 55 games in that season I think it gives better perspective on his greatness than just stat

[@ancientphilosopher]

Get that truck, brother. Great video as ALWAYS.

[@marcellkristoffauszt5444]

I was born in 1996 so i’ve never had the chance to see him play live. But based on the tapes i’ve seen, and things i have heard and read, i think it is safe to say at his best Pippen was in the top 10 range

[@EddieWoodsRemnantOutreach]

Pip was a top 10 player simply because there were so many bigs that had real arguments for being the best player in the game had it not been for Jordan. I would say he was arguably one of the top 2 or 3 wings in the between like 93-96 or 97.

[@calebnegash5444]

Love how your being honest about the views 😂

[@d.columbia9603]

Great video and well said

[@AndiVibez]

the transparency of this guy is unmatched

[@jamiahwilson3901]

I remember Scottie from his playing days he was never a dominate scorer.

[@reziboy100]

We need a video of the new truck after you get it.

[@eclipse5405]

Jonny we need the same to Milwaukee video asap

[@jonnyarnett]

Working on it. Drops tomorrow

[@romank.5261]

I remember that in NBA Live 95 Pippen and Kemp had the same overall rating and this looks very plausible. Kemp wasn't a prolific scorer either but he was a serious threat to any team. They just affected the game differently. Pippen was top 15 back in a day

[@romank.5261]

@@JimBrave-ri1oc I think Malone's rating was higher as well and it was possible to create MJ, Barkley, Bird etc and they appeared with ratings as they were. MJ's was 89, the highest possible was 92. Career highest Kemp's season ppg was 20.5 in Cavs and there he could've scored more, as he was the main option on offense but he didn't despite Brevin Knight was a decent passer. Kemp shoot to many distant mid range shots when he intentionally stepped on the line to avoid shooting threes😄 But more ridiculous thing was in NBA live 98 where they sky rocketed Bulls' bench players overall ratings and guys like Buechler and Wennington became almost stars on paper😄

[@paulzollinger6343]

Wahaa! Loved new truck comment. 😂

[@silvionSalsa]

Jordan playing more risky defense was a reality when doug Collins was the coach because that was his system, This stopped when Phil became a coach. I remember a game (it's in youtube) where grant Hill was killing Scotty. I mean killing him, watch the game. Jordan said "that's enough of this", switched to him and slowed hill down significally. it was day and night. i really don't buy the argument in the video. tittle of the video is "Michael Jordan vs Grant Hill Highlights (1998.03.31)-63pts Combine! Pip Got Roasted but MJ Steps Up!"

[@zpascal2800]

That was in 98 right? They were older and Pip had been injured for a large part of that season. Didn't you watch the last dance? lol I'd need to look up the stats but Jordan was at least healthy while Pippen was still getting his legs under him in many ways.

[@zxcvb3772]

I remember this game as well.. Jordan was definitely the better defender of the two.

[@mattqueen4140]

For me Pippen was a top 10 player in the league and i think that's reflected decently in the MVP voting. 92, 94, 95, 96, 97 top 10. When he wasn't injured, he was top 10, but injuries and a slower start to his career make him top 20

[@vicentecampos2893]

I have never considered Pippen at the same level of other superstars. He was a star but not a franchise player .

[@AntoineLHostRon]

But dame is a franchise player

[@eikatbu]

PIppen was the greatest "Fill In The Gaps" guy of all time. The gaps on great teams rarely involve scoring. Pippen was the second-best player (behind Hakeem) while MJ was retired. It's a shame that "two-way player" is derogative. 19 ppg was very different when teams regularly scored 90 ppg.

[@MORONIC_official]

What truck are you getting? I always enjoy the uploads.

[@jonnyarnett]

Lol. Not sure yet. My editor asked me the same question. I told him to just put a Black Dodge Ram in the video, but the only thing I'm sure on is the color. I'm open to suggestions. The one thing I know is that I'll need to haul a lot with it, so it needs a decent size truck bed and some power.

[@shermanglenn3926]

I think the year that he received some MVP votes was a year that he was top 10 player in the league. His defense was so stellar that at times he might be over valued a bit. I’m comfortable saying he was top 10 player because of the defense, but by 98 after that injury he was never on that level again.

[@shermanglenn3926]

@@JimBrave-ri1oc he was great, but no one was better than Hakeem that year! Regardless of what any great says.

[@brysonwebster1973]

lol “and help me get my new truck”

[@sonny4978]

pip was def top 10 in his times

[@bigsmoke727]

Aye Jonny you might have to take back your Dame take bout him going down as a forgotten player once he retires. He’s with an legendary player in Giannis.

[@jonnyarnett]

True, but I think I did mention that caveat in the video, because there were trade rumors at that point. If he wins with the Bucks, he’ll be remembered forever, no doubt

[@bigsmoke727]

@@jonnyarnett Facto. I don’t know how many years Dame have left. They get to the ECF 2-3 years in a row maybe finals win or not, I think Dame’s legacy would definitely change.

[@garylee8171]

I wish Scotty would have left for two years instead of Jordan... Pippen was an all time great team player and without doubt could have been a mega star on any other team in any era.

[@bryanb30]

6:17 Grant statistically got the better of most of those duels in relation to points.

[@ShniitSchneyder]

lets get Jonny that truck!

[@jonnyarnett]

Lol. Thanks man!

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

Wait what? Jordan lead the league in steals with 254 steals and 131 blocks in his DPOY season! Pippen never had that kind of defensive impact in any season.

[@jonnyarnett]

Sure, but stats isn't everything. On-ball defense is massive. For example, Rodman never had a single season where he averaged at least 1 steal or 1 block.... yet we all agree he's one of the greatest defenders ever... Thats because similarly to Pippen, he absolutely smothers his assignment

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

@@jonnyarnett but Jordan was a great on ball defender and there were also many times Jordan's on ball defense lead to turnovers that didn't get him a steal or any defensive stat, as did Pippen, but Jordan also put up the stats. I'm just trying to understand where this notion that Jordan wasn't a smothering on ball defender came from. I honestly don't think Jordan deserved that DPOY award over Olajuwon, but I definitely know that Jordan was a far better defender in that season, than Pippen was in any of his seasons.

[@johnweak628]

@@jonnyarnett MJ could stay on front of his man just like Pippen. But Pippen couldn't match MJ's ball tracking and timing. If needed, MJ could steal the ball in the clutch. I couldn't imagine Pippen doing what MJ did to Malone on that game 6 where he stole the ball to give his team the edge. MJ's style of defense is a perfect mix of risk aversion and risk taking.

[@twilitezn]

@@hakeemolajuwon4352 I get what BOTH you and Jonny are saying here, and what I feel is that both things can be true....Jordan was a great one on one defender, particularly when he "locked in"...I remember Grant Hill saying that, whiler he respected Pippen's defense, it didn't particularly bother him because he canceled out Pippen's strengths i.e; Hill was almost as long, just as strong, and a FAR better and more explosive athlete (which is saying something, because Pip was no slouch in that department), and had a highly skilled offensive game to counter with... Hill also said that Jordan was a harder defender to match up against because he was different : - Many players have stated that MJ was disproportionally strong for his size - he had "old man strangth"... - His large hands helped him immensely in the hand check era - He had really quick hands and feet - He was positionally and structurally always in an almost perfect defensive stance All of this allowed him to get up in players "personal space"...and usually guys 6'4" and taller couldn't navigate around him in those confines - smaller, quicker PGs gave him issues, however. With that being said, and to Jonny's point : MJ was also an EXCEPTIONAL "free safety", who loved to gamble (surprise!), and his weak side timing was pretty impeccable...he DID get burnt on that from time to time...and I think it's because he did it so much, that it tends to overshadow his 1on1 skills.

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

@@twilitezn I'm just saying. There's a reason why Jordan had a highlight reel VHS tape that was about 30% breakaway dunks come out almost every season, because of those 6 seasons of 200-254 steals! Jordan had 123 steals at age 40, which is basically 33y old LeBron stats, and being #4 all time in steals in only 13 full seasons is actually pretty insane

[@davidtelford4891]

Get that truck, baby.

[@mjbfunky]

Let’s help get Jonny his new truck

[@DerethAC]

As strange as it may sound, Jordan's scoring is actually UNDERRATED when you put it in context. He played his entire career without a teammate that could draw a double team away from him. He was a fantastic all around player who in many ways gave up a more balanced stat line because he HAD to score more. The perfect example was Game 6 of the 1998 Finals where Pippen was hurt, the Bulls got nothing offensively from anyone else, an MJ had to carry the load alone. The guy refused to let them lose.

[@jrbudoybudoy]

1998 was the premier example of Jordan's will to win. He carried that team I'm surprised it was Scottie who had back problems.

[@DerethAC]

​@@JimBrave-ri1oc Troll attempt is too obvious. Take a lap.

[@dwightburns6699]

good luck on the new truck brother

[@hufinnpuff3068]

The problem with lebron is that he's a pippen than needs an MJ.

[@shamgar86]

Really enjoy your videos. - It seems like Pippen would easily be a top 10 player, but you had a good point about all the killers who were on the court at that time. I'll have to think about that. - And I second the thought that Grant Hill was LeBron before LeBron. You should definitely do a video on that if you haven't already.

[@joshualiz3948]

I hope my views on your videos paying them bills, these videos are great

[@jonnyarnett]

They are! Trust me, I’m beyond grateful for you and the rest of the viewers :)

[@juan-josegarza7039]

Also...I love the honesty about the truck. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@richardscott9973]

A top 10 player regularly throughout the 90's and as a SF around 6th 7th 8th place with hondo and kawhi

[@shaft9000]

Kawhi is a 2x Finals MVP

[@richardscott9973]

@@shaft9000 how many fmvp's would he have won with Jordan on the team.....0 me thinks, and I like kawhi...top 10 SF easily

[@fliplife67]

Pippen to me was a good player it’s really hard to say he would have been great without MJ since when he went solo he never gotten back to the finals.

[@fliplife67]

@@JimBrave-ri1oc So when AI went to finals and lost to the Lakers also when LBJ took the Cavs to the finals and got swept they pretty much 1 man teams.

[@diogosilva8219]

Great video! (Commenting to help u get the truck)

[@paulmahsahn1766]

At one point folks was saying pippen was 2nd to Mj. At one point folks Said the bulls had an unfair advantage.

[@sideshowbobsaget8876]

Only because Jordan and Phil were hyping Pippen when Jordan came back because Pippen was fragile. Pippen was never better than Hakeem, Robinson, Malone, Barkley, Shaq, Ewing, etc.

[@CrazyIdeasofF]

Jonny Arnett! Can you do a video on Dame going to the Bucks? Thoughts, and maybe a video on how they will do this few upcoming years? Love the Vids!

[@patrickisme1438]

In his prime Pippen was a consistent top 10. But I do remember the discussions about Pip being the 2nd best player.... I thought of him as a top 5 a few times. He benefited from deep playoff runs & winning . He was a clutch and high performing playoff gamer

[@gamexsimmonds3581]

Exactly, if people want an honest opinion of how good he was, go back and look at how his peers and the league covered viewed him in the 90s as the bulls won all those championships he was consistently a top 10 player, and often people remarked how amazing the bulls were having "Two" of the leagues best players on won team. Of course he was always in the shadow of Jordan but that doesn't matter, he was great and it's sad now that he always has to kind of brag/defend himself because the basketball narrative these days usually works to diminish him

[@SelfResearchedNBAFacts]

Pippen did have his chance without Jordan for basically 2 whole seasons. His highest ppg w/Jordan was 21.0 ppg. And without Jordan? 22.0 ppg. So agreed Scottie just wasn't a scorer. He had good stats across the board, but I think him and Jordan are a tie defensively. MJ was better against guards but Pippen was better against bigger players

[@jepoybengco]

Scottie is not an elite scorer but some of his pts were from defensive stops like blocks or steals. He was also a great facilitator and in the 90s era were dominated by BIGS guys like Scottie was kinda rare.

[@williamkoscielniak7871]

Yes, he forced so many turnovers that led to points on the other end, and not nearly enough people mention how good he was at facilitating and just how important that was to the team's offense. His slashing also led to some easy put backs from the likes of Jordan/Grant/Rodman. Pippen was not an elite scorer, as you said, but he did so many things so damned well that he didn't need to be. When Pippen's shot was falling he was not too infrequently the best player on the court. When his shot wasn't falling he still impacted the game in a positive manner, not too dissimilar to someone like Draymon Green.

[@camwilson2583]

Gotta hear your opinion on dame going to the bucks

[@jonnyarnett]

Yep, just gathering the information, and I’ll be breaking down my thoughts for tomorrows video

[@imanya552]

Pippen seems more like Igoudala to me. Igoudala on the sixers and that short stint in denver was a lot like Pippen when Jordan retired

[@imanya552]

@@JimBrave-ri1oc I think Iggy is a fringe HOF-er? But yeah they are similar. They were kinda both competent offensive options in their prime while being good defensively. Though Pippen was a way better defender, arguably one of the best wing defenders ever

[@WithScienceAsMySheperd]

this is the Mike Bossy paradox in the NHL. The quebecker connection. Mario Lemieux... Maurice Richard... but then : Guy Lafleur, Marcel Dionne, Luc robitaille... Mike Bossy!!! Mike Bossy is the baddest MF in PPG in NHL history that never gets recognition, but led a dynasty to 4 consecutive cups in Long Island. When he died, weeks later at most Guy Lafleur sadly also passed away and overshadowed Mike Bossy again, even in death.

[@jonnyarnett]

I love comments like this, because it educates me on other sports. I can break things down in Basketball, but outside of that, I often need people to break it down for me. lol

[@WithScienceAsMySheperd]

I was a fan of basket since about 1994-95. NBA Jam T.E. made me forever

[@deepwaterrehab7685]

At his peak I’d say he was around top 5 in the league.

[@jamiekelley4076]

I think the comparison is warranted. I think both LeBron and Pippen are more limited offensively from a skill set perspective when comparing them to other all time great scorers like MJ, Steph, Durant. I think the thing that really separates Scottie from LeBron is pure athletic ability. Pippen was a great athlete but LeBron won the genetic lottery and being that big and that fast and that coordinated it opens up avenues of attack that would otherwise be closed to you.

[@thoughtsofalostoneofalosto2591]

WTF are you talking about? They both hit the athletic lottery. U need to see all the centers Scotty dunked on. It's like y'all make these assessments up just to look intelligent.

[@gokuballer1683]

People too often associate superstars with their offense abilities, but actually defense is just as important if not more important than offense. Given that pippen has 6 rings and won more playoffs than MJ, I would put him in the top 10. No need to diminish MJs status hes still the GOAT.

[@sideshowbobsaget8876]

Top 10 all-time?

[@andrewcook1246]

Pippen is a top 10 player of the 90's, a top 10 defensive player ever, top 10 SF ever and a top 50 player ever.

[@kevinhouse4376]

I'm not really a fan of Pippen, but I can live with that assessment. I think those are realistic rankings, Andrew.

[@gotwobag7876]

One sixty nine!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@HailKingCeezer]

I agree trying to diminish Pippen is the wrong thing for Jordan fans to do, and ive been accused of such a thing when in my mind, i'm being absolutely realistic in by pulling up Scotties stats or particular bad games in big moments and saying if he was a LeBron teammate, Pippen would be thrown under the bus constantly and trashed and devalued just like what happens to LeBrons teammates who have been better than Pippen even. No doubt in my mind, LeBron fans would hate PIppen if he was LeBron's teammate and the same old usual excuses would apply that LeBron needs more help. Fact is Pippen had a nice all around skill set and a versatile defensive stud. He was a jack of all trades, but not really a master of anything outside of perimeter defensive smothering and fronting shorter bigs. He's top 50, but no no way should he rank ahead of guys like DWade, Robinson, Chuck, Malone, Dirk, Jokic, Giannis, KD, etc etc. He's toward the bottom of the top 50 list and i've seen lists(lists in which the voters want to vote lebron as goat) place Pippen in the top 15-20 which is ludicrous. Pippen isn't even more talented than AD. He's just more available. AD ranks behind lebron in both reg season and playoff PER. Individually, it's no question AD is a tier above Pippen. Same with Kawhi. Obviously, that's where availability trumps everything else. The other maddening thing is the 1-9 w/o context narrative. Thing is, it's been refuted with context a million times, and people know, yet they still use it as a fact and it is. The Jordan haters want to act like Jordan didn't win until Scottie just showed up on day 1. It's such an awful narrative that now even a bitter and hurt Scottie is relaying the same narrative. So to watch LeBrons superstar teammates get devalued and then have them tell us Jordan wasn't anything until Scottie came off the bench contributing 7.9ppg is the kind of stuff that leads to pettiness in return. That's the wrong way to go about it, but it takes a saint not to return the pettiness of LeBron fan tactics.

[@sideshowbobsaget8876]

Absolute facts 💯

[@javonemitchell8225]

We gone get you that truck Jonny 💪🏾💪🏾

[@goldwolf0606]

Pippen is a top 10 payer of all time. There is no MJ without Scottie Pippen- Michael Jordan

[@guru_basketball_kiero]

#GuruBasketballKieroSays let's get that truck Jonny

[@Tonio5100]

Pippen wasn't even considered the best SF in the game early late 80s early 90s it was Dominique and mid late 90s it was Grant Hill (the real LeBron before LeBron)

[@juve4690]

Pippen was always a top three small forward offensively, and defensively he was the best small forward in the league by a mile. So yes he was hands down the best small forward of his time. Wilkins and Hill couldnt do as much things as Pippen could on both ends of the floor.

[@Tonio5100]

@@juve4690 If you want to do the entire decade sure I'll give it to Pippen but when picking what particular year or years he was the best sf for that particular year you'll probably draw a blank

[@NoNameWillBeGiven-sj2ib]

@@juve4690 nope. Try harder trolll

[@NoNameWillBeGiven-sj2ib]

@@Tonio5100 you're not giving it to Pippen

[@ShermanSitter]

This is going to get a "truckload" of views.

[@x-man9473]

Brilliant wordplay. lol

[@fortnitejake850]

Scottie is gonna be the next Paul Pierce. A guy who says so much dumb stuff that people start to act like he was trash

[@phillipcummings3518]

Most people are pretty silly

[@Boss3Nate]

So true!! So many ppl are trashing his career bc he has made a personal beef with Jordan in retirement. It's crazy

[@youtubeisassho8834]

@@Boss3Nate Nah, just keeping him in his place. He's gotta be tripping to think he was a better player than MJ when MJ averaged nearly twice his measly 16 ppg average.

[@_M....]

he already went from underrated to overrated as hell. the cycle will continue.

[@Boss3Nate]

@@youtubeisassho8834 nobody here said he was better than MJ. We said ppl are trashing and diminishing his career/legacy bc they love jordan so much. Pippen was never once considered overrated now suddenly he’s just a role player 👍

[@andgar923]

Sorry, Pip is the one that got beat on 1v1 and took more risks on D, not MJ. FACT is: MJ was the shutdown defender when Pip would get beat, HE was usually the Bulls' go to stopper, not Pip. Plus, MJ had to chase defenders across the court, going through a gauntlet of screens as teams tried to tire him physically. Pip didn't do that as much and was often a free safety as the Bulls used his long arms to help switch. That was Pip's biggest strength, his length that allowed him to play off his man and rotate to help.

[@EddieWoodsRemnantOutreach]

At minute 6:21 when talking about how Pip stayed in front of his man at all times, you just had to put the man who was cooking my boy in the late 90s Grant Hill's pic as he is driving by Pip. Now I'm from Chicago born and raised, and while we didn't fear that version of the pistons, Hill would still cook and you just had to put it there at that moment, when making that statement. That is hilarious lol

[@damienburke4996]

Just bought a 2023 Ram 1500 Limited Night Edition. It’s pretty sweet.

[@wallacepemberton932]

Pippen said he didnt want (a retired) Jordan to embarrass him in Pippens charity game, so he stacked the team on Jordan. Jordan bust Pippens a55 for 52.

[@DScott-nk1lo]

There is no Jordan and Lebron debate; Jordan was better offensively, defensively and won more with less talent. Also, Pippin was closer to Kawhi than Lebron

[@eljefe6161]

As far as where I have Pippen, all the time he's top 40, the perfect Robin to his Batman even though he resents that role, elite defensive player, pretty good offensive player, didn't quite have the intangibles to be the leader on a championship team, but still one of the very best

[@Ben-zr4ho]

Pippen proved he was a top 5 player in the league in 94. Those were some legit, almost unheard of, stats and alongside his stellar defense... Would have routinely been in the top 5 of the MVP vote if he did that his whole career.

[@willg3220]

Pippin was the best player to ever touch a ball, and no one will ever be better. According to Pippin

[@yuriykhasidov1626]

The mvp voting is the best Measuring stick of who experts thought were the top five in the league each season. Pippen was consensus top 5 only once on his career!

[@vaughnhunt3856]

Hey johnny. You give really good pin point analysis on the NBA! I would like to see you do one on spree. In the 90s he was exiting really good. And when mike left he took that all nba 1st team spot in his 2nd season. Not Mitch, Clyde or Reggie. What do you think?

[@dwightburns6699]

it's Jonny 😅

[@thompsonappliance3078]

I hate that offense gets so much love, to a point that it takes away from the legacies of Russell, Big Ben, Gary Payton, and pippen

[@faruquekhan3353]

It's scoring, that gets so much love and it should because that is the whole point of the game and the most important aspect. However defense also is important because if you can't play good defense, you are a liability. And the players in the top that you mention, their legacies is not taken away, it is because they are not a great two way players. Their specialty was defense as opposed to someone like Jordan, Hakeem, or Kobe who are great in both sides of the court. Though I do see to a extent defense should be valued little bit more.

[@fortynights1513]

@@faruquekhan3353I notice that in particular if it’s a guard (point in particular) that defense doesn’t come up as much as say for centers or power forwards.

[@faruquekhan3353]

It's because guards just focus only on wing players while centers and power forwards have focus not only on players on their positions but also guards who are coming closer to the basket and help on the block and making them take difficult shots. They get more rebounds and block shots.@@fortynights1513

[@catman88722]

Been a die-hard Bulls fan since 1987 when Pip and Grant were rookies. Another good video, Jonny. I thought Pippen was going to get DPOY in 1994-1995, but I think it went to Mutombo. I think Pippen has a case for a top-5 player between 1993-1994 through 1995-1996. I believe those were the three years he was all NBA first team. But as you said, he was never an elite scorer. I do enjoy how you called out the extremes in both sides (referring to the LBJ vs MJ fans). I love MJ but I also hate arguing with Jordan fans who are not Bulls fans on the importance of Pippen. I also hate arguing with LBJ fans who try to make it seem like Pippen came into the league as his 1995-1996 version. When the reality is, as you said, it took Pippen a few years to develop offensively.

[@thetruthstand]

Pippen was a jack of all trades and a master of none.

[@jimmyboy131]

Not true. As the video stated he was an all time great defender.

[@kenw2225]

Lol defense master.

[@temmere]

I love Pippen as a player and I absolutely think that, with the right squad around him, he could have won a championship and gotten the Finals MVP. And you could not ask for a better defender at his position. But to say that he was the second-best player in the league when Barkley, Malone, Olajuwan, etc. were there is just absurd.

[@awesomereviews1561]

Not as the first option. He underperformed too much in the playoffs.

[@betterthanyesterday3912]

I hope you get that new truck, Jonny!

[@jonnyarnett]

Lol, thanks!! I'll post it on the channel if/when it happens, and say thanks :)

[@mattchooblink]

Dope truck man