SOURCE: USA Basket ball

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Scottie Pippen

Position: Forward	Olympic #: 8
Born: 9/25/65 (Hamburg, Ark.)	College: Univ. of Cent. Ark.
Height: 6’7”	Weight: 225 lbs.

One of the most versatile and talented players in basketball, 6-foot-7 Scottie Pippen can pass like a point guard, rebound like a power forward, score like a shooting guard, and run and jump like few others. He also ranks among the NBA’s top defenders. A key piece of the Chicago Bulls’ three-time NBA Championship club of the early 1990s and a five-time All-Star, he has been honored with a pair of selections to the All-NBA First Team as well as appearances on the Second Team and the Third Team. He has also been a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team once.

Pippen came to the NBA after four years at the University of Central Arkansas, an NAIA school. He averaged only 4.3 points as a freshman and received little attention for much of his college career, despite improving quickly and steadily. Finally, after averaging 23.6 points and 10.0 rebounds as a senior, Pippen found himself a hot commodity in the 1987 NBA Draft.

The Seattle SuperSonics took Pippen with the fifth overall pick, then traded his rights to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to Olden Polynice and other considerations. Pippen put up modest numbers in his first season in the NBA.

It was as a second-year player that Pippen began to show the variety of skills that have made him a superstar and a constant triple-double threat. In 1988-89, he logged 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He upped his numbers in each of the next three seasons, improving to 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game in 1991-92. Along the way, he played in two All-Star Games and earned two NBA Championship rings. Although his stats declined slightly in 1992-93, he helped lift the club to its third straight NBA title.

Following the surprise temporary retirement of Michael Jordan before the 1993-94 season, Pippen was thrust into the role of team leader. He recorded career highs of 22.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and guided the team to a surprising 55-27 record. Playing in his fourth All-Star Game, he scored 29 points in 31 minutes and was named the game’s MVP. He also earned his first selection to the All-NBA First Team. He put up similar numbers in 1994-95, pouring in 21.4 points per game. Averaging 19.4 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game and 5.9 assists, Pippen in 1995-96 was a key component in Chicago's record-setting 72-10 regular season performance.