Pippen stood tall without Jordan in 1993-94 | Chicago Bulls instagram Pippen stood tall without Jordan in 1993-94 Twenty years later, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson recall the 1993-94 season in which the Bulls played without Michael Jordan but managed to win 55 games while Pippen proved he was a star in his own right Posted: May 20, 2014 By Adam Fluck | 05.20.2014 The Chicago Bulls were sitting atop the basketball world. Led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, both of whom were in the prime of their illustrious careers, Chicago had become just the third team in NBA history to three-peat and a fourth straight championship seemed inevitable with the Hall of Fame duo on the court. But then, just days before training camp for the 1993-94 season opened, Jordan at the age of 30, walked away from the game. As he made his announcement at the Berto Center, his teammates, Pippen included, stood by and it was obvious they were stunned.

“We were all devastated by the decision Michael made,” recalled Phil Jackson, who led the Bulls to six championships in his nine seasons as Chicago’s head coach. Jackson had met with Jordan upon team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s insistence to be certain the decision was firm for a player who had already won three NBA MVP awards. But Jordan had made up his mind. “It was time to move on,” said Jackson. “It was pretty shocking, and looking back at it, it was emotional too,” remembered Pippen, who had played all six of his professional seasons alongside Jordan. “It took us all by surprise, but it didn’t change anything in terms of what we had to do as players. We had to focus on preparing for another season. We had to stick to our routines, continue to train, and be ready for camp. Michael retiring opened up an opportunity for us to show that we were still a very good team.” As an added challenge, Jackson and his staff had to integrate several new faces on the roster. “We had to scramble,” acknowledged Jackson. “We had to find some players to replace Michael, which was an impossibility. But those guys were determined to make it show and they stepped right up.” Pete Myers started on opening night at shooting guard.

But in a way, it didn’t matter who was out there as filling the most famous sized 13 Air Jordans ever worn was an incomprehensible, hopeless task. Several players from the three-peat teams were still on board, including B.J. Armstrong, Bill Cartwright and Horace Grant, while newcomers Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr and Bill Wennington, as well as Luc Longley in a February trade for Stacey King, were added to the mix. “It ended up being a far different roster than what we had won with, but the system made it easy for new players to step in and understand the offense,” said Pippen. “Defense continued to be one of our strong points.” Determined as ever to prove that life would go on without Jordan, who signed with the Chicago White Sox organization to play minor league baseball the next spring, it was a rough start to the season as Pippen missed 10 of the team’s first 12 games with an ankle injury. The Bulls were just 5-7 when he returned on Nov. 30. But Pippen recorded 29 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in a victory over Phoenix.

Chicago went on to win 30 of 35 games heading into the All-Star break. It was at that 1994 NBA All-Star Game in Minneapolis when Pippen, joined by teammates Armstrong and Grant, walked onto the court with his memorable red Nikes – custom shoes like that weren’t as common in those days – and stole the show, finishing with 29 points, 11 boards and four steals. On a national stage competing with and against the game’s best, Scottie Pippen, no longer second fiddle to Michael Jordan, claimed MVP honors from the game. “It was a great accomplishment, but not necessarily a major one in the big picture,” said Pippen. “It was nothing like winning a championship, of course, or even being on the All-Defensive team. I was able to show the best talent on that particular day playing with and against some of the world’s best athletes. But that’s all that I really take from the award.” The consummate teammate, Pippen and the Bulls weren’t concerned about individual accolades; they wanted to make a run at another title.

As the Bulls put the finishing touches on fifth straight 50-plus win season and a 24-17 road record, second best in Eastern Conference and third best in NBA, Pippen capped off the most impressive season of his career, at least from a statistical standpoint. The leading vote-getter for the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team, Pippen ranked eighth in the league in scoring (22.0), 23rd in rebounding (8.7), 19th in assists (5.6), and second in steals (2.93). “Everyone worked hard at it and Scottie was an unbelievable leader that year, probably deserving of MVP in the league,” said Jackson. “That was a year in which he had shown everyone the quality level that he could play at and his team played very well, very unselfishly.” The media agreed with Jackson’s assessment, as Pippen finished third in NBA MVP voting behind Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and San Antonio’s David Robinson. And while with Jordan’s departure came an opportunity for Pippen to showcase his talents and prove that he was among the NBA’s elite, he never saw it that way.

He stayed true to how he believed the game should be played and along the way led the Bulls to a 55-27 record, a level of play that no one thought could be achieved without the services of No. 23. “I never thought about trying to win MVP,” said Pippen. “I never thought about trying to do things as an individual. That’s just not how I played the game and it wasn’t in my pedigree. I couldn’t have made myself play that way. It never crossed my mind to try and lead the league in scoring. I viewed that as sort of selfish goal and while I did have personal goals, they were to make the All-Defense team or be Defensive Player of the Year. I of course wanted to be one of the top players in the game, but I wanted to do it within my natural style of play. So I learned to let the game flow to me and stayed away from putting pressure on myself or rushing aspects of my game.” As he looked back on that season, Jackson said he had a feel for what Pippen was capable of doing as he continued to mature and develop. He even admitted to taking a step back on occasion and appreciating what Pippen brought to the table.

“I certainly did,” said Jackson of Pippen’s game. “I admired it a lot, but I was not surprised. We knew how much Scottie had matured in the 1990-91 season. So we made adjustments to accommodate Scottie’s game and use his talents. It was a springboard that made us a championship team for those three years. We knew what effect he would have in the game and what he could do. We just didn’t know if he was going to be as big of a scorer as he was, but his scoring jumped considerably.” As the 1994 NBA Playoffs got underway, Chicago quickly disposed of the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 3-0 sweep in the first round. Then, for the fourth year in a row, the New York Knicks awaited and a memorable, eventful series would ensue. Patrick Ewing and the Knicks claimed the first two games played at Madison Square Garden and the Bulls returned the favor with a pair of wins at the Chicago Stadium to even the series at 2-2.

But with Game 3 came controversy in its final 1.8 seconds, as Pippen became upset when a play was drawn up for Kukoc to take the last shot, which he hit to secure the victory. Pippen immediately apologized to his teammates and coaches after the game. They accepted it and everyone moved on. “He was disappointed and he didn’t go in the ballgame,” acknowledged Jackson. “But it didn’t seem to affect the team. He came back and played well. We won another game and pushed the series to the limit.” And as Jackson noted, Pippen’s huge night of 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and just one turnover lifted Chicago to a crucial Game 4 victory. Game 5 in New York, however, would not go Chicago’s way, though it looked like it would late in the contest. That’s when one of the most debated calls in Bulls history was made, a sequence in which Pippen was whistled for contact on Hubert Davis with 2.1 seconds remaining. Davis made a pair of game-winning free throws and New York moved one game closer to advancing. “It really was just an energy play,” said Jackson of the foul.

“[Pippen] made an effort to contest a shot. Now of course that would be called an offensive foul if a player does that. But at that time, they hadn’t made a ruling on it.” “I don’t dwell,” sighed Pippen of NBA referee Hue Hollins’ call. “I don’t put too much weight on it. It is what it is and he saw what he saw. He made the call. You can go back and look at it, and he might make that same call again. The ball just didn’t bounce our way that night.” While Chicago would even the series at 3-3 in Game 6, the final game played in the Chicago Stadium and a matchup that featured Pippen’s legendary dunk in transition on Ewing, New York went on to claim the series. The Knicks then defeated the fifth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the conference finals and before ultimately falling in seven games to the champion Houston Rockets in the 1994 NBA Finals. “It was a great year,” said Jackson. “It was painful to lose obviously in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference, but we felt we gained ground with that ballclub anyway.

“In a sense, it was kind of our final hurrah [for the first three-peat group],” Jackson continued. “And it was a wonderful experience for us all. It was a very satisfying season. I know guys were very saddened by the loss because they wanted so desperately to win in spite of losing Michael, but we understood we had a great season.” Pippen, in particular, erased all doubts about whether he was a superstar in his own right, cementing his place in basketball history in the process. “Scottie was the heart and soul of that team,” said Bill Wennington. “He put that team on his shoulders and was taking all the big shots.” B.J. Armstrong agreed, saying, “He was just incredible. He was running around and doing things, really getting a chance to explore every aspect of his game. I think it really answered a lot of questions in the back of his mind.” “He was just unbelievable,” said Pete Myers, friends with Pippen dating back to their college days in Arkansas. “He did everything for us.

He rebounded the ball; defensively, he guarded the perimeter; he just did everything imaginable, which made everyone else’s job easier.” “To this day, that was my favorite team,” said Jerry Reinsdorf of the 1993-94 Bulls as Pippen was approaching enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. “We would have gone to the Finals if it weren’t for a horrible call in New York. Scottie was clearly the leader of that team. He stepped up and he was the man.” “It was one of my greatest seasons,” said Pippen, now an executive with the team. “It wasn’t quite as successful of a season as we wanted, but I enjoyed the team and I loved my teammates. I enjoyed my growth and development as a player, as well as the leadership role that I had. It was the first time for me to be the clear cut star. I didn’t always have a chance to rise up when Michael was there, especially in my first three years. But by him stepping away a little bit, it gave me a little room to grow.

And when he came back, it gave me an opportunity to stand beside him instead of standing below him.” NBA’s top small forwards of all time at 28 years old: Elgin Baylor (1962-63): 34.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists in 42.1 minutes Larry Bird (1984-85): 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.6 steals in 39.5 minutes Julius Erving (1978-79): 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals in 35.9 minutes John Havlicek (1968-69): 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists in 38.7 minutes LeBron James (2012-13): 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals in 37.9 minutes Scottie Pippen (1993-94): 22

.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals in 38.3 minutes Tags Scottie Pippen Headlines Hall of Fame Second Fiddles | Bleacher Report Scottie Pippen Headlines Hall of Fame Second Fiddles NBA Lead WriterNovember 14, 2016 Scottie Pippen Headlines Hall of Fame Second Fiddles 1 of 6 On Friday night, Scottie Pippen, already heralded as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, will be granted perhaps the greatest honor of his life when he is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

He will be introduced by Michael Jordan, his more-heralded teammate on the six championship teams that Pippen was a part of in Chicago. Unfortunately for Pippen, MJ is likely to steal the spotlight, leaving Scottie to occupy the subheadings—fitting, considering Pippen always played second fiddle to Jordan, even when The Jumpman himself "jumped" to the Chicago White Sox for two ill-fated seasons in baseball's minor leagues. Nevertheless, Pippen will soon be included among basketball's Pantheon, which honors multitudes of the game's Batmans and Robins across generations of ballplayers. The big question is: where does Pippen rank among the all-time best sidekicks in NBA history? Now, there have been plenty of great duos where both players were leading men—John Stockton and Karl Malone, Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—or both turned out to be "Alpha Dogs"—Kobe and Shaq, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Those pairings necessitate an entirely different discussion. For now, here are five of the greatest players who made Hall of Fame careers out of assisting legends, in no particular order.

Scottie Pippen 2 of 6 What better player to start with than, of course, Scottie Pippen? Everyone knows Scottie as Jordan's right-hand man, the point-forward who used his size and skills to make the Phil Jackson's Triangle offense run like clockwork while MJ wowed just about everyone—supporters and "haters" alike—with his unparalleled clutch play. During those six championship runs, Pippen average nearly 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals per game, showcasing on a nightly basis the kind of versatility that players like LeBron James are so often heralded for. It wasn't until Jordan's first retirement that the league realized just how great and vital to those championship teams Pippen really was. In Jordan's first year away from the team, Pippen posted career-best averages in points and rebounds while leading the NBA in steals per game and brought the Bulls to within a bad call of the Eastern Conference Finals. Scottie's efforts earned him All-Star Game MVP honors and a third-place finish in the league MVP tally. He followed up the next year by becoming one of four players in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.

Though Jordan received the lions-share of the attention—and deservedly so–Pippen did more than enough to establish himself as one of the best second-options to ever grace the hardwood. James Worthy 3 of 6 While Scottie was still making a name for himself at Arkansas State, James Worthy was busy running the fast-break with Magic Johnson and the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers, while building his Hall-of-Fame resume. The man known affectionately as "Big Game James" entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1983 draft after leading the University of North Carolina to the national championship during his junior season, earning the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award while playing alongside fellow Tar Heel legends Sam Perkins and Michael Jordan. Worthy followed up a highly successful college career with 12 decorated seasons in the NBA, racking up, among other accolades, seven All-Star appearances, three championship rings (including recognition as the Finals MVP in 1988), and a place on the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. All of this while playing a supporting role to the leads of Magic and Kareem.

Even so, the bespectacled star established himself as a high-flying athlete with a penchant for picking his opponents clean on defense and converting Magic's pinpoint passes into thunderous, crowd-pleasing dunks on the other end. Though he wasn't elected to the Hall on his first ballot, as Pippen was, his accomplishments while playing his entire career for one of the most iconic franchises in North American sports history speak for themselves, as the Lakers retired his number 42 jersey alongside those of Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, and the two teammates he caddied for—Magic and Kareem. Kevin McHale 4 of 6 What kept James Worthy and his all-time-great teammates from winning more than three rings? Why, the Boston Celtics, of course. The 1980s saw a full-force revival of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry and, as a byproduct, the growth in profile of the NBA as a whole. While history tends to focus on the match-ups between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, both legendary in their own right, it's easy to forget about the other tremendous players that populated the rosters of these two teams.

While Worthy played second-fiddle to Magic, it was Kevin McHale (along with Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, Danny Ainge, and Dennis Johnson) who backed up Bird in those classic Finals series against the hated Lakers throughout the '80s, winning three championships with the Celtics. McHale, as a member of Boston's "Big Three" frontline with Bird and Parish, excelled in whatever role the Celtics utilized him. In his first five years with the team, he came off the bench, claiming consecutive Sixth Man awards in 1984 and 1985. In his first game as a starter, McHale set the franchise record for points in a game at that time with 56, which Bird eclipsed less than a week later. And when, in 1988, his teammates jokingly nicknamed McHale "The Black Hole" for never passing the ball back out of the post, he went out and set a career-high in assists with 10 against the Dallas Mavericks. In his prime, McHale became known for what he called "the torture chamber"—an array of post moves that allowed him to dominate and confuse defenders.

As a result, McHale had the finest year of his career during the 1986-1987 season, in which he became the first player ever to shoot better than 60 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line in the same year and finished fourth in the MVP voting in the process. Few sidekicks ever rose to the occasion quite like McHale did, a remarkable trait that helped him to earn seven All-Star selections, election to the Hall-of-Fame, and a spot among the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Bob Cousy 5 of 6 Long before Kevin McHale ever set foot on the hardwood floor of the Boston Garden, it was Bob Cousy who set the stage for "buddy basketball" in Boston. Though he laid claim to one of the most decorated careers in NBA history, "The Cooz" took a backseat to Bill Russell when the big man from USF arrived in Boston in 1956.

Thanks to Cousy, the Celtics improved from a dismal team with a 22-46 record the season before he arrived to a playoff team in each of his first six seasons, though Boston struggled to advance past the New York Knicks and the Syracuse Nationals. During those early years, Cousy established himself as one of the young league's elite point guards, earning the nickname "The Houdini of the Hardwood" for use agility and use of ball-handling and passing tricks that, at the time, were relegated to "street ball". That's not to say there wasn't plenty of substance to back up Cousy's style. He led the league in assists three times in that span and recorded one of the all-time great playoff performances in 1953 when, in a quadruple-overtime against the Nationals, Boston's "Mr. Basketball" played 66 minutes and scored 50 points, including his still-standing record of 30 made free-throws in 32 attempts.

However, Cousy didn't win any of his six titles until Red Auerbach and the Celtics drafted Bill Russell, a move that paid immediate dividends, as Boston won the NBA title during Russell's rookie year, though Cousy earned his only MVP trophy that season. After a one-year hiatus from the victory podium, the Celtics earned the league title in each of the last five years that Cousy played in Boston (Russell and the Celtics extended their consecutive championship to streak after Cousy's first retirement). One could argue that, because he had firmly established himself as an All-Star in the NBA before Russell's arrival, Cousy should not be considered a "sidekick" but rather Russell's equal cohort. While there is some validity to that claim, Cousy played with several other Hall-of-Fame players with the Celtics, namely Bill Sharman, and was not able to capture his first ring until Russell arrived.

Nevertheless, Cousy's accomplishments—an MVP trophy, 13 All-Star selections, 10 first-team All-NBA selections, and a place on the NBA's 25th, 35th, and 50th anniversary teams (one of only four players to claim such an honor)–speak for themselves, whether he was a second fiddle or carried the tune on his own. Joe Dumars 6 of 6 While Joe Dumars may not have been the legendary point guard that Cousy was, he proved to be an excellent point guard and a tremendous "No. 2" for the Detroit Pistons behind Isiah Thomas. A decade and a half before he constructed an Eastern Conference dynasty in Detroit, Joe D. served as Zeke's right-hand man on back-to-back championship squads with the Pistons in 1989 and 1990, the first of which netted Dumars a Finals MVP award. Like the rest of the "Bad Boys", Dumars was well-known for his defensive prowess, garnering praise from Michael Jordan, who claimed Joe D. to be the best defender he ever faced.

Of course, Dumars' four selections to the NBA's All-Defensive first-team suggested the same thing. While Thomas proved to be the flashier and more flamboyant of the Pistons' back-court duo, Dumars established a reputation as a low-key yet upstanding member of the community, becoming the first-ever recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award—which is now named after him. With six All-Star selections, two rings, a place in the Hall of Fame, and his number in the rafters at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Joe D's resume places him among the best "second fiddles" to play in the NBA. Kobe Bryant Passes Michael Jordan For 3rd On NBA's All-Time Scoring List - Lakers Nation Well, Kobe Bryant finally passed Michael Jordan as the third all-time scoring leader in NBA history against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. What does it mean, exactly? For one, it means that Kobe has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball, once again.

Second, it means that Bryant’s dedication to the game and relentless work ethic has allowed him to outlast all of the superstars of his generation, as he’s performing at one of the highest — if not the highest — levels in NBA history for a player in his 19th season. Passing Michael Jordan means that Kobe Bryant has reached a mark set by the man he learned so much from, among others. Finally, it means that he is the ultimate student of the game and will be remembered as the player he’s always wanted to be remembered as: The player who overachieved and maximized his talent. While Jordan needed just 15 seasons to reach 32,292 points, Bryant has been quick to point out the different career paths each player had. Bryant famously entered the league as a cocky 17-year-old kid out of Lower Merion High School, joining the Lakers following a trade back on July 1, 1996. Being on the Lakers provided him with the backbone of a storied franchise, but also limited his play during the early stages of his career, as the Lakers were a team on the rise.

— Have You Seen These LIMITED EDITION “Try Me” T-Shirts? — Bryant also had to play second-fiddle to Shaquille O’Neal, as The Diesel was the most dominant force in the league at the time. Bryant won three titles in a row alongside O’Neal from 2000-2002, and two more with Pau Gasol and Co. in 2009 and 2010. Jordan, on the other hand, was the Chicago Bulls’ franchise player from the start, averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals in his rookie season. Jordan, paired with swingman Scottie Pippen, won three titles in a row from 1991-1993, retired to play baseball, then came back and won three more titles in another “threepeat” from 1996-1998, before retiring once again.

In 2001, MJ made a comeback with the Washington Wizards in an attempt to boost a team in which he had front office control in, which resulted in two sub-bar (by Jordan’s standards, anyway) seasons. Both players won all of their titles under legendary head coach, Phil Jackson. Despite the two seasons in Washington, Jordan finished his career with an average of 30.1 points per game — which is the highest in NBA history and is percentage points above Wilt Chamberlain’s average. Chamberlain once averaged over 50 points per game in a season, to put that in perspective. The Black Mamba currently holds a career average of 25.5 points. [divide] Lakers Kobe Bryant Passes Michael Jordan On NBA All-Time Scoring List Please enable Javascript to watch this video Am I Micheal Jordan’s Keeper? The Case For Scottie Pippen | As I See It As I See It By Curtis Shaw Flagg, July 3, 2011 at 3:20 pm Just the help? The Skinny Scottie Pippen was never really one for many words during his playing day's in Chicago. So maybe it's the law of odds that have him speaking more than ever before.

After the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals, Scottie Pippen went on record to say that Lebron James may be the greatest overall player to ever play the game, while Michael Jordan is the best scorer to ever play. But in order to understand fully understand the meaning of Pippen's comment you must read in between the lines. " Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game. But I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he's so potent offensively that not only can he score at will, but he keeps everybody involved." Then he threw a little sugar on it. "Not only can he score at will, but he keeps everybody involved. You have to be on your P's and Q's because everybody is a threat to score when he's on the floor. Not only that, LeBron James will dominate the game on the offensive end and he's able to do it on the defensive end as well. He can get in those passing lanes and dominate the game." Wait....WHAT??? Let's look deep into Scottie Maurice Pippen.

"As I See It" Roaming Report Presents: "Am I Michael Jordan's Keeper?" The Scottie Pippen Memoirs Phil Jackson Phil "Zen Master" Jackson asserted himself as the greatest basketball mind to ever coach the game, very respectfully stepping aside Red Auerbach, and John Wooden, re-crafting the triangle offense and adding feng shui to the game of basketball. Jackson led the Chicago Bulls to all six of the Bulls championships throughout the 1990-98 campaign. He But the rings don't stop there for Jackson. After the "Fall of the Dynasty," Jackson took his talents to South Cali, inheriting Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Phil won another 3 consecutive NBA Championships with the duo, then after a feud between the pair sent O'Neal off to Miami, Phil won two more consecutive championships with Bryant as his star. And then there's Scottie Maurice Pippen .

Pippen was one of he most instrumental pieces on the Bulls six championship teams, earning All Defensive First Team eight consecutive times, All NBA Team honors three times and is generally considered one of the best small forwards of all time, ranking third all time in most playoff appearances ranking behind the likes of Robert Horry and Kareem Abdul Jabbar . Pip is also the only player ever to win an Olympic gold medal and NBA Championship twice in the same year. And he was named one the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. So why do so many think that there is a hidden animosity between Pippen and Mike? It could quite possibly be traced back to the time in which Michael Jordan did not play beside Pip. After the passing of Jordans' father and the ultimate pressure after winning three consecutive NBA Finals Championships, Jordan took time off to pursue baseball and anything else that wasn't associated with playing basketball. This ultimately gave Pip, the worldly known "2nd fiddle" the prime opportunity to showcase that he could lead the Chicago Bulls back to the Finals and ultimately 4th consecutive championship. Pippen tried that one season in 1993-94, when Jordan left the NBA for the first time, and he was close at times.

He was the All-Star Game MVP and led the Bulls to 55 wins, only two fewer than in Jordan's first final season. Who knows how far the Bulls would have gone against perhaps the weakest champion ever, the role player-loaded 1994 Houston Rockets. But the animosity would only just grow from there. Toni Kukoc was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1990 but wasn't signed by the Bulls until the 1993 season. The last season of the Bulls 1st 3-peat, Pippen and Jordan both expressed dislike about the draft pick because of Toni's inability to immediately make an impact on the Bulls championship team. Pippen more so himself held animosity towards the organization because of promises by then President Jerry Krause over money paid Pippen in Jordan's absence. Krause was reported telling Pippen that he would never make more than Jordan but as a solace: Once Jordan was gone, no one would make more than Pippen. The Bulls had a structure, Reinsdorf promised, and that was to assure that the team's best player was also its highest-paid.

Although Pippen was an undoubted better player than Kukoc, even defending the forward during the 1992 Olympic games and doing a great job on Koc, the Bulls organization still paid Pippen (2.2mil) grossly under the average that of Kukoc (3.2mil) and even then point guard B.J. Armstrong (2.8mil). Pippen did lead both Bulls teams in scoring and ultimately to two consecutive playoff appearances, passing Michael Jordan in total playoff appearances for career. He did not however lead any of those playoff teams to a championship or even a Finals for that matter. It has even been chronicled that Pippen refused to enter a playoff game because the play was designed for Toni Kukoc , who ultimately hit the game winning shot. Maybe it was Pippen's road to success that could also tell the story, not even being a scholarship athlete until after he got to Central Arkansas University. Pippen was the team manager, handing out towels to players who weren't even thinking about a professional NBA career.

Perhaps it was that environment that toughened Pippen so much he was able not only to deal with such criticism that would have crippled most other athletes, but he was able to excel in the NBA alongside its greatest star. Pippen pretty much did what Jordan couldn't do, guarding the leagues toughest offensive players, ultimately leaving Jordan free range defensively. Jordan then could jump into the passing lanes for steals and fast breaks that typically would break down a team. While most regard those champion Bulls as Jordan's, it was their aggressive defense that produced its offense and created the fear in other teams. " Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game. But I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he's so potent offensively that not only can he score at will, but he keeps everybody involved." But he keeps everybody involved.... Scottie Pippen lead the Bulls in assists during their championship run's, averaging just under 7 assists per game every year he played with the Chicago Bulls . As well as leading in scoring, assists, and steals during the time played without MJ. So Scottie's perception of a basketball player may differ from those who merely look on the surface when they debate greatness.

If Scottie indeed thought he was just as good as MJ. What could the antagonist argument contain? Micheal Jordan scored more points, had more accolades, and was the better clutch performer or the two. This is true, but the fact of the matter remains that without Pip, there truly is no MJ. In no season without Scottie Pippen did Jordan ever earn scoring, assist, or defensive titles. Remember, that MJ never made the post-season without Pip as well. The same cannot be said for the best second fiddle to ever play. NBA.com: Michael Jordan Bio Complete Bio | Summary | Complete Stats By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Although, a summary of his basketball career and influence on the game inevitably fails to do it justice, as a phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of fundamental soundness, grace, speed, power, artistry, improvisational ability and an unquenchable competitive desire, Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. Even contemporaneous superstars recognized the unparalleled position of Jordan.

Magic Johnson said, "There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." Larry Bird , following a playoff game where Jordan dropped 63 points on the Boston Celtics in just his second season, appraisal of the young player was: "God disguised as Michael Jordan. A brief listing of his top accomplishments would include the following: Rookie of the Year; Five-time NBA MVP; Six-time NBA champion; Six-time NBA Finals MVP; Ten-time All-NBA First Team; Nine time NBA All-Defensive First Team; Defensive Player of the Year; 14-time NBA All-Star; Three-time NBA All-Star MVP; 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; Ten scoring titles -- an NBA record and seven consecutive matching Wilt Chamberlain ; Retired with the NBA's highest scoring average of 30.1ppg. Michael Jordan makes the jump shot that catapults the Bulls over the Utah Jazz in the 1998 Finals. Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Images However, his impact is far greater than awards and championships. He burst into the league as a rookie sensation scoring in droves with an unmatchable first step and acrobatic drives and dunks and concluded his career as a cultural icon.

Along the way, he became a true champion who spearheaded the globalization of the NBA with his dynamic on court abilities and personal sense of style that was marketed to the masses. He was an accessible star who managed to maintain an air of mystique. He was visible as "Air Jordan," as part of a sneaker advertising campaign and endorsing other products as well as the star of the movie, Space Jam. However, he would vanish into retirement twice only to return until hanging up the sneakers for the last time after the 2002-03 season. Although Brooklyn born, Jordan was bred in the more tranquil North Carolina. The son of Delores and James Jordan, he shared a special bond with his father, which included baseball being both of their first love. However, following his older brother, Larry, whom he idolized and was a spectacular athlete in his own right, Jordan began to play basketball. He attended Laney High school in Wilmington, North Carolina, but as a 5-11 skinny sophomore, he was cut from the varsity basketball team. The summer before his junior year, he grew to 6-3 and began his path to super-stardom.

A Tar Heel at heart, the high school All-American attended the University of North Carolina. As a freshman, he played somewhat in the shadows of upperclassmen James Worthy and Sam Perkins. However, he shone in the spotlight of the NCAA Championship game against Georgetown and another great freshman Patrick Ewing , whom he would foil future NBA championships for as well. Jordan scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and made the winning basket on a 16-foot jumper with 18 seconds in the game for the 63-62 victory. As a sophomore, he was named College Player of the Year by The Sporting News. As a junior, he received that award again as well as the Naismith and Wooden Awards. After his junior year he was chosen with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. The Houston Rockets selected 7-0 center Hakeem Olajuwon form the University of Houston with the No.1 pick, which most expected. The Portland Trail Blazers, however, with the No. 2 pick chose 7-1 center Sam Bowie from Kentucky, which was not as anticipated.

Bowie had suffered several injuries while in college but the Blazers bypassed Jordan because just the year before the team selected another exciting shooting guard in Clyde Drexler . Although Drexler went onto to be a star, Bowie was an injury prone player with a journeyman pro career However, Jordan, coming off a gold medal performance at the 1984 Olympics prospered in the pro game with a fabulous first season, earning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He averaged 28.2 ppg, (third behind Bernard King and Bird) 6.5 rpg and 5.9 apg. He also was selected to the All-NBA Second Team. Perhaps more important, the Bulls improved to win 11 more games than in the season prior to his arrival and made it to the playoffs. Jordan averaged 29.3 ppg in the first round series, but the Bulls lost in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks. In his first season, he did not have outstanding shooting range and was thought to roam to often on defense resulting from playing trapping defenses in college according to his first NBA coach, Kevin Loughery.

Yet, his medium game -- eight to 15-feet from the basket was impressive as evidenced by his .515 field-goal shooting percentage and his steals tended to compensate for his less than stellar straight-up defense. Improvement in both areas would come and he would ultimately be regarded as threat from anywhere on the floor and one of the best ever one-on-one defenders. "There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." -- Magic Johnson Even in the exhibition season before his rookie campaign, players and coaches were sure that the Rockets and Blazers would regret their picks. King, the eventual leading scorer for that upcoming season, seemed sure as well when he spoke to Hoop magazine after a 1984 preseason game. "All I can say," King says, "is that the people in Chicago are in for a real treat." He was right. Jordan's greatness and likeabilty was apparent in just his first season. Home attendance at the venerable Chicago Stadium and on the road rose dramatically. Fans of opposing teams were seemingly content to see their team lose if in return Jordan put on show. Jordan's personal style was equally authentic and unique as his basketball skills.

Nike signed him to a major shoe deal because of his anticipated appeal, but he surpassed even the loftiest of expectations. One version of the sneakers he wore in his first preseason was an unseen before blend of his team's red and black colors that the NBA initially considered in violation of the "uniformity of uniform rule." Subject to fines if he continued to wear them, he occasionally did and the demand for that version and others in the Air Jordan line was unprecedented. He also had a clause in his contract that allowed him, unlike most other NBA players, to play basketball anytime in the off-season -- known as the "love-of-the-game clause." He dangled his tongue out of his mouth -- picked up from observing his dad working on mechanical devices -- as he levitated toward the basket and it became one of his first trademarks in personal style. He continued to wear the shorts of his beloved North Carolina basketball uniform under his Bulls uniform. This may have led him to wear longer game shorts although he has said that the extra length allowed him to bend at the waist and tug at the hem for a good resting position. Either way, the trend toward the baggy shorts was started and the entire league and sport would follow.

The rookie's mesmerizing effect was even suggested to have extended to referees as it was said that he was getting veteran preferential treatment allowing him to take that additional step on route to the basket rather than being whistle for a travelling violation. Many assessed that he eluded defenders so easily that he had to be travelling. However, video break down established that his first step was just so quick and that he was not in violation of the rulebook. Despite all the attention, Jordan retained a sense of humility. He did not ridicule the Blazers for not taking him. Early on in his first season, he told Sports Illustrated, "He [Bowie] fits in better than I would. They have an overabundance of big guards and small forwards." His self-effacement was more apparent when in that same article he said, "I'd like to play in at least one All-Star game." That goal was quickly accomplished as later that season he was voted a starter to the 1985 All-Star East squad. There, he probably faced one of his first professional obstacles.

The media ran with the idea that Eastern All-Star teammate Detroit Pistons' Isiah Thomas , had led a "freeze-out" of the golden rookie limiting his opportunities to score by not passing him the ball. Jordan scored seven points in 22 minutes and was left to face questions concerning the alleged conspiracy. The affair grew a life of its own over the years, but Thomas refuted such accusations. The whole ordeal would come full circle when Thomas, as the coach of the 2003 East All-Star squad, persuaded Toronto Raptors' Vince Carter to relinquish his starting role to Jordan in his last midseason classic. Three games into his second season, he broke a bone in his left foot. He was voted to the All-Star team but could not play as he was sidelined for 64 games. However, he came back late in the year to score a NBA playoff-record 63 points in a first-round game against the Celtics. The Bulls lost that game 132-131 in double-overtime and the series in a sweep, but Jordan averaged 43.7 ppg in the series. If there were any doubters to that point about Jordan's ability, surely there were no more.

Starting with the 1986-87 season he began a career-long onslaught on the NBA record book. That year saw him average 37.1 points in the first of seven consecutive seasons in which he led the league in scoring and topped 30 points per contest. Jordan scored 40 or more points in nine consecutive games and 23 straight in one game to set an NBA record. At the All-Star Weekend, he won the first of two consecutive Slam Dunk com petitions. However, again, the Celtics swept the Bulls in the first-round of the playoffs That off-season, the Bulls began assembling a championship caliber team by drafting power forward Horace Grant and acquiring the versatile small forward Scottie Pippen from tiny Central Arkansas in a draft day trade with the Seattle SuperSonics for former University of Virgina center Olden Polyinice. In 1987-88, Jordan won every major award including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star MVP. With the help of his teammates, Jordan led the Bulls to a first-round playoff win over the Cleveland Cavaliers before falling to the Pistons in five games in the conference semifinals.

The Pistons known as the "Bad Boys" for its aggressive style of play would defeat Jordan and the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals in the next two seasons as well. Utilizing a defensive scheme developed by Head Coach Chuck Daly and his staff, known as the "Jordan Rules", the Pistons dared Jordan to single-handily win games with constant double and triple teaming. The Bulls, however, were nudging to a championship as each successive season the team would get closer. In the 1988-89 season, perhaps Jordan's best statistical campaign, he led the league with 32.5 ppg, was tenth in assists with a career high 8.0 apg and had a career high 8.0 rpg. He also ranked third in steals with 2.89 per game. Jordan propelled the Bulls past the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs as in the decisive Game 5; he scored the memorable buzzer beater-floating jumper over Craig Ehlo for a 101-100 victory.

Prior to the beginning of the 1989-90 season, Sports Illustrated published an article on Jordan's emerging golf game and his thoughts about joining the PGA tour after his NBA career was over. Chicago management, however, was making other moves. That off-season, the Bulls let go Head Coach Doug Collins and hired Phil Jackson . Under Jackson's leadership, the Bulls instituted the triangle offense --a fluid passing and cutting system that created opportunities for all five players on the floor to score, but when the play broke down and the shot clock waned, Jordan had free reign to create his own shot. The Bulls went 55-27 that season, the franchise's best record since 1971-72. Jordan set his career game-high in points with 69 against the Cavs in a 117-113 overtime win. He also emerged as a three-point threat, posting a .376 percentage -- 100 percentage points above his previous best. However, the Pistons defeated the Bulls in a tough seven game series in the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals.

That third consecutive playoff defeat to the Pistons prompted many to think out-loud that a scoring champion like Jordan could not lead his team to a title. Were they ever wrong. The next year, Jordan led the Bulls as the team waltzed through the postseason losing only twice en route to the franchise's first NBA title. The redemptive blow was the sweep of the Pistons in the conference finals. And after losing the first game at home to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, the Bulls stormed back to win four straight to end the last remnants of the "Showtime" Lakers as Magic Johnson would retire before the beginning of the next season. Jordan averaged 31.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 8.4 apg earning the first of six NBA Finals MVP awards. Jordan, who by now shaved his head completely bald triggering another trend and making him recognizable by just the dark rounded silhouette of his head, was now known as a champion. He was also known to be ultra-demanding of his teammates, ruffling more than a few feathers with his critiques. But winning was the soothing elixir.

The Bulls would go on to successfully defend its title for two consecutive seasons, defeating both Drexler and the Blazers and the Charles Barkley -led Phoenix Suns in six games. By the end of that three-year run, Jordan had eclipsed stardom and approached folk hero status. Early into his career, he drew Peter Pan like admiration for his gravity defying leaps and belief that he would remain youthful forever. However, during the three-peat, players and teams seemed to concede that the title was Jordan. He garnered a legion of fans young and old alike but in particular to kids he was a Pied Piper figure who were asked to follow him with his sports drink "Be Like Mike" advertising campaign. In the 1992 Finals, Jordan opened up Game 1 with a record setting 35-point first-half performance to lead the Bulls to a 122-89 rout. Jordan seemed unstoppable as he drained several three-pointers over Blazer defenders and after one made three he shrugged his shoulders as if to say, I don't even know what's going on here. The Blazers bounced back and seemed poised to force a Game 7 as it took a 79-64 lead into the fourth quarter of Game 6.

However, the Bulls roared back for a 97-93 series clinching win. In 1993, Jordan led the Bulls past the Patrick Ewing-led Knicks for the fourth time in five postseasons -- this time in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games with out the home court advantage. Jordan scored 54 points in a 105-95 Game 4 win. And in the series' turning point that was Game 5, Jordan recorded a triple double (29 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists). But the crucial play was Pippen's successive blocks of putback attempts by the Knicks' Charles Smith in the final seconds that allowed the Bulls to escape the Garden with a 97-94 win. The Bulls sealed the series with a 96-88 victory in Game 6. In the Finals, Jordan set a Finals record as he posted a 41.0 ppg average in the six game series victory over the Suns. In the decisive Game Six, the Bulls again stormed back to overcome a fourth quarter deficit.

This time, Jordan scored nine straight points down the stretch leading to John Paxson's game winning three-pointer with 3.9 seconds on the clock for a 98-97 victory. That summer, Jordan was the key figure in forming the Dream Team that competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The 12-member roster, full of the era's best players were respected as basketball royalty by its opponents whom they outclassed on the way to the gold medal and idolized like pop icons by the world's fans. But trouble was brewing. Jordan was under scrutiny for what was thought to be poor decisions with respect to his gambling endeavors. But that paled in comparison to the loss of his father who was murdered during an armed robbery. His father was Jordan's main confidant whom could be seen with his son on a regular basis as he climbed the ladder of success. Emotionally drained and seeking new challenges, just one day before the start of training camp, Jordan stunned the basketball world by announcing his retirement. After much speculation about his plans, Jordan returned to the spotlight in a baseball uniform. Attempting to fulfill a dream inspired by his father, the younger Jordan set his sights on Major League Baseball.

He spent the 1994 baseball season playing for the Birmingham Barons, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in the Class AA Southern League. He was a competent if unspectacular performer. But Jordan's hope of reaching the big leagues seemed dim, and with Major League Baseball embroiled in a labor dispute as the 1995 season neared, he focused his competitive fire back on the NBA. Late in the 1994-95 NBA season, he came out of retirement with the succinct statement of "I'm Back." He was back, albeit with the unorthodox No. 45 as he wanted to leave No. 23 behind, and attempted to carry the Bulls to another title. Jordan averaged 26.9 points in 17 regular-season games, which the Bulls played to a record of 13-4. The most memorable game of the initial comeback occurred six games in when he scored 55 points against the Knicks in the Garden. That game, dubbed "Double Nickel," was extraordinary in that a new Jordan emerged. Robbed of his youthful bounce at age 32, he turned primarily to fade-away jump shots and spinning layups.

And in the waning moments of a tie game, he drew attention as he dribbled around the perimeter then passed to a wide-open Bill Wennington under the basket for the winning points in a 113-111 victory. His coach, Jackson, in the aftermath said, "It's rare that players can live quite up to New York. I've seen a lot of them fall flat on their faces because of the pressure to perform there. But he had the whole evening in the palm of his hand. Sometimes the game just seems to gravitate into his grasp." In the playoffs, he poured in 31.5 ppg. But despite Jordan's presence in the lineup, the Bulls didn't have quite enough to get past the Orlando Magic in the conference semifinals. Chicago lost to the Shaquille O'Neal-led Magic in six games. Jordan's championship quest was fulfilled the following season with almost a whole new band of players than in his first title runs. He began the season with his old No. 23 uniform but only his sidekick Pippen remaining from the first three championship teams. The Bulls added Dennis Rodman, an enigmatic player but a rebounding and defensive phenom.

The team enjoyed one of the most remarkable years ever posted by any club. Jordan led the NBA with 30.4 ppg as the Bulls charged to a record 72 victories during the regular season, then stormed through the playoffs with a 15-3 record ending in a six game series win over the Sonics. Poignantly, Jordan recaptured the title on Father's Day and cradled the ball after the decisive game in a heap on the floor of the United Center, which replaced Chicago Stadium during his retirement, unabashedly crying. The emotional impact of the moment was overwhelming. Along the way, Jordan captured the MVP awards for the regular season, All-Star Game and Finals, joining Willis Reed (1970) as the only men to win all three honors in the same season. Although he had relinquished the MVP award to Karl Malone in 1996-97, Jordan was awarded MVP in 1997-98 and again led the Bulls to the NBA Championship with a satisfying six-game victory over Malone's Utah Jazz. Despite a horrible case of stomach flu in a critical Game Five, he would not let his team lose.

He scored 38 points and the Bulls won the game and then the title at home in Game Six. He was also named the NBA Finals MVP for the fifth time. The Bulls duplicated the three-peat in 1998-99 with another six game series win over the Jazz. Jordan with his team down three points at the close of Game Six, scored on driving move to the basket. And on the next Jazz possession, he stole the ball from Malone in the post to set-up his game winning jump shot. The shot over Bryon Russell with 6.6 seconds left on the clock is etched in many fans mind and photographic history. After labor negotiations were resolved leaving a shortened season in 1999; Jordan left the game saying, "Right now I don't have the mental challenges that I have had in the past to proceed as a basketball player." Despite not playing for three seasons during his second retirement, Jordan was still probably the most recognizable athlete in the world. However, after assuming an ownership and team executive role with the Washington Wizards in 2000, he returned to play the game he loves, after being visibly frustrated in the owners' box with the team's performance. On Sept.

25, 2001, he signed a two-year contract with the Wizards for the veteran's minimum. Jordan brought in his old Bulls' coach Doug Collins and tried mightily to revive a once accomplished franchise that had sunken to moribund levels. But the Wizards, although an attendance draw around the league, failed to make the playoffs in Jordan's two years. However, moments of the great Jordan were apparent such as scoring 40 points a few days after his 40th birthday in the 2002-03 season. He left as a player to return to an ownership and executive role with the belief that with the cluster of young stars, the NBA was in fine shape. Above all, Jordan recognized his place in the game. In his book, For The Love of The Game: My Story, Jordan wrote: "There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don't believe there is only one greatest player either. Everyone plays in different eras. I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else's talent. I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.

Without Julius Erving , David Thompson, Walter Davis, and Elgin Baylor there would never have been a Michael Jordan. I evolved from them." At the turn of the 21st century, ESPN, the preeminent all-sports network, conducted an expansive survey of media members, athletes and others associated with the sports world to rank the 20th century's greatest athletes. Jordan topped the list above Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali -- substantiating his link to those earlier cultural icons. Breaking Down Why LeBron Is Already Better Than Kobe and Jordan | Bleacher Report Breaking Down Why LeBron Is Already Better Than Kobe and Jordan Next ARTICLE » Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories The comparison is just America struggling to let go of the past. There is a new king, and he is here to stay. 72.1K 523 Comments On the dawn of the great Michael Jordan's 50th birthday, the constant bantering yet again has graced the covers of our favorite sports websites. Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant . LeBron James . The three are constantly compared to one another with fans, media and NBA legends alike arguing which superstar is the greatest. It is time for the argument to end.

The average ignorant fan would point to the ring count and be too blinded by the real facts. Stop. LeBron James is a better NBA player than Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Yes, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have six and five rings, respectively. Michael Jordan won his first ring at age 28. Kobe Bryant won his first in his fourth season at age 22 playing second fiddle to Shaquille O'Neal . That season, the 1999-2000 season, Shaq put up 38 points and 16.7 rebounds a game in the finals against Indiana . Kobe averaged 15.6 points on 36.7 percent shooting that series. LeBron is simply held to a higher standard than Jordan or Kobe ever have been. Anytime Kobe or Jordan fail, the blame is placed elsewhere. If LeBron fails, he is victimized to the point where his jersey gets burned on national television. If the Heat were in 10th place in the East right now like the Lakers are, the amount of criticism LeBron would receive could not even be fathomed. Kobe, on the other hand, remains scrap free.

The Lakers' demise has been placed on Mike Brown, Dwight Howard and injuries. In his fourth season, he dragged a team comprised of such superstars like Drew Gooden, Daniel Gibson, Eric Snow and Sasha Pavlovic to the Finals. LeBron averaged 25-8-8 in the postseason. To put all the burden of not winning on him is absurd. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The torch has been passed once again No player has ever won a title by himself. Basketball is a team sport despite the prominence of such superstars. Michael Jordan never would have won without Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman or Steve Kerr. Kobe has had the pleasure of playing with Shaq, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Ron Artest in his career. Just the same, LeBron would not have won without Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh . The three are different players. LeBron's scoring numbers have been slightly less than Kobe and Jordan's, although LeBron has taken far fewer shots. His assists and rebounds have been better than both of them. Comparing Kobe to Jordan has always been a more direct comparison, as their skill-sets are very similar.

LeBron is unlike anything this league has ever seen. In historical terms, the argument could be presented that Jordan was "greater" than Kobe and LeBron. That conversation is unfair to LeBron, who has much of his script still to write. To compare LeBron's ring total to Jordan's is discounting too many other factors. The overall athleticism and talent level of NBA players today is monumentally more incredible than it was 20 years ago. The fact that LeBron is still improving is insane. This year, he has upped his efficiency tremendously. His 8.2 rebounds a game are a career high. His turnovers have decreased each of the last three seasons. Additionally, his field-goal percentage has increased seven consecutive years to a ridiculous 56.5 percent this season, a number Kobe and Jordan never sniffed in their careers. Jared Wickerham/Getty Images Get this: Michael Jordan retired prior to the 1993-94 season, the Chicago Bulls went 55-27. When LeBron left the Cleveland Cavaliers , a team that won 61 games won 19 games without him the next season. The Lakers were 53-29 the year before they drafted Kobe, already having a stacked team.

LeBron James has never lost in the first round of the playoffs, even with a less-than-stellar supporting cast. Jordan lost three consecutive years in the first round before breaking through. It is indisputable that Jordan and Kobe inherited squads that were infinitely more talented than LeBron's with Cleveland . The fact that he even reached the Finals with those teams is unbelievable. We all saw what the Lakers did without Shaq. Kobe started putting up career numbers, scoring as much as 35.4 points per game in 2005-06. Where did the Lakers end up? Over three seasons, they had two first-round exits and a missed playoff appearance...until Pau came along and Andrew Bynum developed into a star. Then all was well once again. The facts are too much. It is too programmed into our heads that Jordan is the best player this league has ever seen. With the Heat, LeBron has two finals appearances and one title in two seasons, his first years with a real supportive cast.

After his obliteration of the Celtics in the conference finals last year, and successive beat-down of Kevin Durant's Thunder team, all the LeBron naysayers just shifted their argument to the fact that LeBron only has one ring instead of zero. To them, he will be irrelevant until he reaches five or six. All the man needs is time. When it is all said and done, LeBron will undoubtedly be "greater" than Kobe and Jordan. He will have his handful of rings, as well as the collection of personal accolades that are in a stratosphere all their own. For the time being, LeBron is simply a marvel. His powerful yet finessed game is nothing short of legendary. He is hands-down the most outstanding player to ever step foot in this league, bar none. Like it or not, he is still just getting started. He does things on the basketball court that Kobe and Jordan simply could not do, and when it is all said and done, he will be the new barometer that the media compares all the new superstars to.

Question: What player was Michael Jordan's second fiddle?
Answer: Scottie Pippen