Scottie Pippen’s potential was unlocked when the Chicago Bulls made a coaching change ahead of the 1989-90 NBA season. Virgil Villanueva May 3, 2025 8:17 AM EDT 1990s Chicago Bulls Start Conversation
Scottie Pippen’s first two seasons with the Chicago Bulls weren’t particularly impressive. He committed turnovers and silly fouls — errors that irked Michael Jordan. Yes, Pip was a rookie, but MJ was in his third year. The “Black Cat” was hungry for that NBA Championship, or at least to have a deep playoff run. MJ wanted a player who could help him in this quest. The young Scottie was too immature and too raw for this task.
“The big problem is we don’t really have a two (shooting) guard behind me,” said Jordan in 1988. “We’re using Scottie (Pippen), who has a lot of ability, but he’s young and gets into foul trouble. Scottie’s got long arms and quick hands, but he doesn’t have the quick feet you need at two guard.”
Unleashing Pip
Bulls general manager Jerry Krause didn’t fall to his knees upon seeing Pip’s first two mediocre seasons. He knew the Arkansas native had talent. Pip needed time and the right coach to unlock his full potential and become a terrific player.
Ahead of the 1989-90 season, the Bulls elevated Phil Jackson to head coach, replacing Doug Collins. At first, there was some resistance, especially since he employed a seemingly wacky offensive playbook called the triangle offense.
But later, the team understood the philosophies the “Zen Master” stood for. Pip, too, realized the previous regime held him back. Under Phil, he was allowed to discover his true self.
“I like Phil’s coaching better than Doug’s,” Pippen said in 1989, per the Los Angeles Times. “Phil seems to treat and respect his players better.”
“I play more free, and I have a lot more confidence in myself. Before, when I made a mistake, I’d be looking over my shoulder. But Phil has shown a lot more patience.”
Jackson saw how his forward matured seemingly overnight. He wasn’t just making great decisions on the floor, he was also rising as one of the team’s figureheads.
“Scottie has leadership qualities and has never shied away at a critical time in a ballgame,” Jackson said. “He’s the kind of player you want to attempt the big plays. Once he develops real confidence in his jump shot, teams will have to play him as an outside shooter, and then he can exploit his driving ability.”
Go for gold
Meanwhile, Jordan’s view of his young forward had drastically changed. From a raw and inexperienced stud, MJ felt Scottie could take over the world one day. And he would do it with his tenacious defense. Those long arms vis-à-vis defensive instincts started to reveal themselves by Pip’s third year.
“Scottie is at least 50 percent better than a year ago,” Jordan said. “He’s stepped up his game and responsibility. He’s what I call a game learner, picking up things by observing them during the game. There’s nothing you can tell him.”
“I’d like to see Scottie lead the league in steals,” Jordan said. “I’m gambling less, and he is gambling more. He’ll get burned occasionally, but he’ll learn when to take his best shot at stealing the ball.”
Interestingly, Jordan led the league in steals with 2.7, while Scottie finished third with 2.6. Still, it was a monumental achievement. Pip proved he belonged in the NBA and was a critical part of the team’s historic championship runs.