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Chicago Bulls: All-Time Starting Five

By James D. Tillman III

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: (L to R) Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and head coach Phil Jackson all of the Chicago Bulls hold the five Larry O'Brien NBA Championship trohpy's they have won over the past seven years at a victory celebration in Grant Park in Chicago, IL. The Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in six games to claim their fifth trophy. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: (L to R) Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and head coach Phil Jackson all of the Chicago Bulls hold the five Larry O'Brien NBA Championship trohpy's they have won over the past seven years at a victory celebration in Grant Park in Chicago, IL. The Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in six games to claim their fifth trophy. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images) /
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20 May 1997: Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen dribbles up the court during playoff game against the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls won the game 84-77. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
20 May 1997: Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen dribbles up the court during playoff game against the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls won the game 84-77. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport /

Small Forward: Scottie Pippen

The Bulls had the eighth overall pick in the 1987 draft and they were hoping that Scottie Pippen would still be on the board. That was not the case, however, as the forward out of Central Arkansas was taken by the Seattle SuperSonics at No. 5.

Chicago drafted Olden Polynice with the eighth overall pick and swung a draft-day deal with Seattle that not only helped them acquire Pippen, but also B.J. Armstrong at No. 18 in the 1989 draft.

Prior to Pippen’s arrival, Michael Jordan was starting to earn the reputation as a phenomenal individual talent. Unfortunately, though, the Bulls were a one-man show, which was supported by the fact that they failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs during Jordan’s first three years in the league.

The Bulls’ postseason fortunes would change in Pippen’s first year, as they defeated the Cavaliers in five games before falling to the Detroit Pistons in the conference semifinals.

Although the Bulls would see their postseason end at the hands of the Bad Boy Pistons the next two years, that trend changed in 1990-91.

During that season, Pippen established himself as the second-best player on the team, and during that memorable postseason run to the team’s first championship, he averaged 21.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per contest on 51 percent shooting from the field. This marked the second-highest postseason scoring output of his career.

That said, It is no coincidence that the Bulls became champions as Pippen started to come into his own.

Here is a look at some of his other noteworthy stats.

  • Six-time NBA champion
  • Three-time All-NBA First Team selections (1994-96)
  • Two-time All-NBA Second Team (1992, 1997)
  • Eight-time All-Defensive First Team (1992-99.
  • 1994 NBA All-Star MVP
  • Seven-time All-Star (1990, 1992-97)
  • Two-time Olympic gold medalist (1992, 1996)
  • Named one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
  • Hall of Fame Inductee (2010)

Pippen’s scoring, along with his ability to lock down the opposing team’s best player, enabled him become one of the best two-way players in the league during that time. But for those of you who still may question his value to the Bulls, here are a couple of insightful thoughts provided by team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

From Bulls.com.

"“Six championships that wouldn’t have been won without Scottie,” Reinsdorf said when he was asked what comes to mind when he recalls Pippen’s career. “Michael couldn’t have done it by himself. The rest of the players and Michael would not have been enough. It took Scottie to put us over the top those six times.”"

So while Pippen played Robin to Jordan’s Batman, the Bulls don’t win six titles in an eight-year stretch without his contributions at both ends of the floor.

Next: Power Forward

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