Published 12:44 IST, May 25th 2020
Scottie Pippen chooses Kobe Bryant as his NBA GOAT over ex-teammate Michael Jordan
During his interview with Thuzio, Scottie Pippen stated that he thinks Kobe Bryant is the greatest NBA player of all time, maybe out of spite for Jordan.
The conclusion of Michael Jordan's The Last Dance has once again sparked the Kobe Bryant vs Michael Jordan debate. Along with NBA players like Tracy McGrady, Jordan's Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen also gave his opinion on who he thinks is the greatest of all time. Pippen gave an interview with Thuzio in April, where he stated that he feels the late Los Angeles Lakers legend was 'better than Michael Jordan'.
Scottie Pippen chooses Kobe Bryant as his GOAT over Michael Jordan
Also read | Michael Jordan vs Kobe Bryant: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant combined net worth, NBA career earnings
During his interview with Thuzio, Scottie Pippen stated that he thinks Kobe Bryant is the NBA GOAT. He revealed that when he looks at videos of the late NBA legend, he realises he plays better than Jordan. As per Pippen, Bryant tried so hard to be like the six-time NBA champion but he actually became better than him. Pippen believed that the five-time NBA champion 'worked so hard' for the same. Scottie talked about Bryant playing right after high-school and not having any coach like Dean Smith while he played for North Carolina.
“Kobe strived so hard to be Michael Jordan. When I go back and look at his videos, I say to myself, ‘Damn, he was better than Michael Jordan.” - Scottie Pippen. 🗣
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 22, 2020
Full @thuzio interview: https://t.co/9ZO9tezagD 🎙 pic.twitter.com/okTrKpkq6H
During the interview, Scottie Pippen also spoke about the current Bulls roster, his All-Star game memories and what he thinks about Bryant. Pippen spoke about how he thinks Bryant was a great person and would always call him and a lot of players to 'pick' their brains. He added that Bryant did that to people in all aspects of his life whether it was a movie producer or a best-selling author. Pippen expresses regret on not letting Bryant know how much he appreciated his game.
He referred to the Lakers legend as a 'very intelligent guy' and hates that he never told him that. Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in January.
Pippen's interview also caused fans to wonder if his comment was made as the NBA legend is reported to be unhappy with The Last Dance. The interview was filmed and released in April, which is before the ten-part documentary was aired. As per recent reports, Pippen is 'beyond livid' at Michael Jordan regarding his portrayal in the docu-series.
Updated 12:44 IST, May 25th 2020