History of Scottie Pippen in Timeline
Scottie Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player celebrated as one of the greatest small forwards ever. He spent 17 seasons in the NBA, most notably with the Chicago Bulls, where he won six NBA championships. Pippen's contributions were crucial in establishing the Bulls as a dominant force and boosting the NBA's global popularity throughout the 1990s. His defensive prowess, versatility, and partnership with Michael Jordan defined an era of basketball excellence.
1920: Preston Pippen's Birth
In 1920, Preston Pippen, Scottie Pippen's father, was born.
1923: Ethel Pippen's Birth
In 1923, Ethel Pippen, Scottie Pippen's mother, was born.
September 25, 1965: Scottie Pippen's Birth
On September 25, 1965, Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr. was born. He would later be known as Scottie Pippen, a celebrated American former professional basketball player.
1977: Dave Cowens' Accomplishment
In 1977, Dave Cowens was the first NBA player to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
1986: NAIA All-American Honors
In 1986, Scottie Pippen earned consensus NAIA All-American honors as a senior.
November 7, 1987: NBA Debut
On November 7, 1987, Scottie Pippen made his NBA debut with the Chicago Bulls against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 10 points in 23 minutes, and the Bulls won 104–94.
1987: NAIA All-American Honors
In 1987, Scottie Pippen earned consensus NAIA All-American honors as a senior.
1988: NBA Playoffs
In 1988 NBA Playoffs, Scottie Pippen claimed the starting small forward position and helped the Jordan-led Bulls reach the conference semifinals for the first time in over a decade.
1988: Marriage to Karen McCollum
In 1988, Scottie Pippen married Karen McCollum, beginning a new chapter in his personal life.
1989: Eastern Conference Finals
In 1989, Pippen and the Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals but were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons.
1989: Career Highs
In 1989, Scottie Pippen recorded then-career highs in points, rebounds, and field goal shooting and finished third in the league in steals.
1990: Eastern Conference Finals
In 1990, Pippen and the Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals but were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons. Pippen suffered a severe migraine headache at the start of Game Seven that impacted his play.
1990: NBA All-Defensive Second Team Honors
In 1990, Pippen was awarded NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors.
1990: Death of Preston Pippen
In 1990, Preston Pippen, Scottie Pippen's father, passed away.
1990: Divorce from Karen McCollum
In 1990, Scottie Pippen divorced Karen McCollum, ending their marriage.
1990: NBA All-Star Selection
In 1990, Scottie Pippen earned his debut NBA All-Star selection.
September 21, 1991: Selection to the Olympic "Dream Team"
On September 21, 1991, Pippen was announced as a member of the United States men's Olympic basketball team, set to participate in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
1991: NBA All-Defensive Second Team Honors
For his efforts in the 1990-91 NBA season Pippen was awarded NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors, and the Bulls went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.
1992: NBA Championship
In 1992, Pippen helped lead the Bulls to their first three-peat.
1992: Selection to Top 10 Teams in NBA History
In 1992, The Chicago Bulls Championship team, on which Pippen had played a key role, was selected as one of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History.
1993: NBA Championship
In 1993, Pippen helped lead the Bulls to their first three-peat.
1993: Ascension as Team Leader
In 1993, with Michael Jordan retired, Scottie Pippen emerged as the Bulls' leader, earning All-Star Game MVP honors and leading the team in multiple statistical categories.
May 13, 1994: Refusal to Enter Game
On May 13, 1994, during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Scottie Pippen refused to re-enter the game in the final seconds due to not being selected to take the potential game-winning shot, sparking controversy.
1994: NBA All-Star Game MVP
In 1994, Scottie Pippen was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, highlighting his individual achievements and leadership during that period.
1994: Trade Rumors and Team Leadership
In 1994, trade rumors involving Scottie Pippen escalated during the off-season. Pippen ended the season leading the Bulls in every major statistical category—points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
1995: Rodman Joins the Bulls
In 1995, Dennis Rodman joined the Bulls, leading to a record-breaking season.
November 1996: NBA Plus-Minus Record
In November 1996, Pippen set an NBA single-month plus-minus record of 272.
1996: All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Second Team Honors
In 1996, For his efforts in the 1996–97 NBA season, Pippen earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors for the seventh consecutive time as well as All-NBA Second Team honors.
1996: Second Olympic Appearance
In 1996, Pippen played on the 'Dream Team III' squad.
1996: Chicago Bulls Championship
In 1996, Scottie Pippen played a main role on the Chicago Bulls Championship team, which was later selected as one of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History.
1996: Olympic Gold Medal
In 1996, Scottie Pippen won an Olympic gold medal.
February 9, 1997: NBA All-Star Game
On February 9, 1997, Pippen participated in the NBA All-Star Game where he scored 8 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. The East team won 132-120 and Glen Rice was named MVP. He and Jordan were selected in the 50 greatest players in NBA history.
1997: Marriage to Larsa Pippen
In 1997, Scottie Pippen married Larsa Pippen, who later became a Real Housewives of Miami star.
1998: Win Second Three-Peat
In 1998, Pippen joined Jordan in another Bulls run to the 1998 NBA Finals, where they bested the Jazz to win their second three-peat.
1998: Breakup of Bulls Dynasty
In 1998, The Bulls dynasty broke up, prompting Pippen to return for the 2003 season.
January 1999: Trade to the Houston Rockets
In January 1999, After eleven seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Pippen was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Roy Rogers and a second round pick in the 2000 NBA draft.
April 22, 1999: Detained on Suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated
On April 22, 1999, Pippen was detained by police on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, though the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
October 2, 1999: Trade to Portland Trail Blazers
On October 2, 1999, Pippen was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Stacey Augmon, Kelvin Cato, Ed Gray, Carlos Rogers, Brian Shaw and Walt Williams.
1999: New Role with the Trail Blazers
In 1999, Pippen played for the Portland Trail Blazers, demonstrating his defensive capabilities.
2000: Playoff Run with Portland
In 2000, Pippen started in all 82 games averaging 12.5 points per game, 5 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers reached the Western Conference Finals, losing to the Lakers.
2000: Injury and Surgery
In 2000, Pippen was forced to miss 18 games due to tendinitis in his right elbow and underwent a procedure to remove a bone fragment.
2002: Kevin Garnett's Feat
In 2002, Kevin Garnett matched Dave Cowens' record by leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
February 3, 2003: Willed the Trail Blazers to a Win
On February 3, 2003, at 37 years old, Pippen willed the Trail Blazers to a win over the Orlando Magic with 25 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists.
July 20, 2003: Return to the Chicago Bulls
On July 20, 2003, Pippen signed a two-year, $10 million contract to return to the Chicago Bulls.
February 2, 2004: Final NBA Game
On February 2, 2004, Pippen played the final game of his NBA career against the Seattle SuperSonics, scoring two points, with one rebound and three assists.
October 5, 2004: Retirement Announcement
On October 5, 2004, Pippen officially announced his retirement from the NBA.
December 8, 2005: Chicago Bulls Jersey Retirement
On December 8, 2005, the Chicago Bulls retired Scottie Pippen's number 33.
December 9, 2005: Jersey Retirement Ceremony
On December 9, 2005, the Chicago Bulls retired Pippen's jersey number in a ceremony where he was reunited with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, and Horace Grant.
2006: Miami Heat Win Championship
In 2006, The Miami Heat won championship, which may had made Pippen have the idea of an NBA comeback.
2007: Attempted NBA Comeback
In 2007, Pippen attempted to make an NBA comeback to play for a championship contender.
January 2008: Brief Professional Basketball Comeback in Scandinavia
In January 2008, at age 42, Pippen made a brief comeback to professional basketball, touring Scandinavia and playing two games for teams in Finland and Sweden.
2008: LeBron James' Feat
In 2008, LeBron James matched Dave Cowens' record by leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
January 21, 2010: University of Central Arkansas Jersey Retirement
On January 21, 2010, the University of Central Arkansas retired Scottie Pippen's number 33.
July 15, 2010: Returns to the Bulls as Team Ambassador
On July 15, 2010, Scottie Pippen returned to the Chicago Bulls as a team ambassador, marking a new chapter in his relationship with the organization.
August 13, 2010: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Induction
On August 13, 2010, Scottie Pippen was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, both for his individual career and as a member of the "Dream Team".
March 17, 2011: Bronze Statue Announcement
On March 17, 2011, the Chicago Bulls announced plans to honor Scottie Pippen with a bronze statue inside the United Center, recognizing his contributions to the team.
April 7, 2011: Statue Unveiling Ceremony
On April 7, 2011, Scottie Pippen's bronze statue was unveiled during a halftime ceremony at a Chicago Bulls game, celebrating his legacy with the team.
July 11, 2013: $4 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Pippen
On July 11, 2013, Camran Shafighi filed a $4 million lawsuit against Scottie Pippen, alleging physical assault.
2015: Warriors Surpass Bulls' Record
In 2015, The Golden State Warriors surpassed the Bulls' regular-season record.
March 2016: Financial Advisor Sentenced for Fraud
In March 2016, Scottie Pippen's former financial advisor, Robert Lunn, was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud, after defrauding Pippen of over $20 million.
2016: Death of Ethel Pippen
In 2016, Ethel Pippen, Scottie Pippen's mother, passed away.
2016: Giannis Antetokounmpo's Feat
In 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo matched Dave Cowens' record by leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
2016: Files for Divorce (Later Withdrawn)
In 2016, Scottie Pippen filed for divorce from Larsa Pippen, though he later withdrew the petition.
2018: Larsa Pippen Files for Divorce
In 2018, Larsa Pippen filed for divorce from Scottie Pippen.
April 16, 2020: Dismissal as Bulls Ambassador
On April 16, 2020, Scottie Pippen announced he had been dismissed as a public relations ambassador for the Bulls due to disagreements over compensation and media appearances.
October 2021: Named to NBA 75th Anniversary Team
In October 2021, Scottie Pippen was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
2021: Nikola Jokić's Feat
In 2021, Nikola Jokić matched Dave Cowens' record by leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
2021: Death of son, Antron Pippen
In 2021, Scottie Pippen's son, Antron Pippen, passed away. Antron was born in 1987.
2021: Divorce from Larsa Pippen Finalized
In late 2021, Scottie Pippen's divorce from Larsa Pippen became final, concluding their marriage.
