Respected Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen has been making some controversial comments lately about today’s NBA players. Stephen Curry is the latest to get criticized and doubted by the six-time NBA champion.
Pippen was asked whether a player like Curry could adapt his style to the 1990s era, when three-point shooting was less common and defense was more physical. Fadeaway Media shared Pippen’s latest quotes, where he claimed Curry and players like him wouldn’t be able to produce at the same level in his era.
“With the rules of the ’90s, Curry would not be the same. If we played in his era, it would be like playing in freedom: nobody grabs you, nobody stops you,” Pippen said.
Many 1990s players share the same sentiment and argue today’s stars benefit from a softer style. Smaller guards once struggled to get shots up, and three-point shooters were limited in how much coaches allowed them to fire away over higher percentage shots. Curry would have been forced to change the landscape to reach his full potential back then, but it’s not unbelievable.
Scottie Pippen Believes Defense Beats Shooting
The three-point shooting of Curry’s Golden State Warriors makes for an interesting debate when comparing that dynasty to Michael Jordan and Pippen’s Bulls. Both teams dominated in their respective eras, when specific styles were emphasized to maximize each roster’s potential.
Pippen said he believes the physical defense of his era could stop Curry and Klay Thompson’s incredible shooting.
“We weren’t made to shoot 25-50 three-pointers a game. They would probably win in that sense, because they have two of the best shooters, like Steph and Klay. But we played physical, we defended hard. We made the teams score only 75-80 points. Today, that is almost impossible,” Pippen said.
Pippen did show some respect, admitting today’s style of shooting would give the Splash Bros an edge against the iconic Bulls. Still, he emphasized that his team routinely held opponents under 80 points in pivotal games with everything on the line.
Many Are Turning Against Scottie Pippen
Criticism is part of basketball, but one common complaint is that Pippen doesn’t have the all-time great status to question Curry and other stars like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Jordan clearly led the Bulls as the most dominant player of his era. Pippen still deserves credit for playing stellar all-around basketball and defending his opponents’ best player.
Curry ranks easily ahead of Pippen on all-time lists as the face of a dynasty and a two-time MVP. The player lower on the pecking order typically looks worse in these situations. Fan perception will always favor a top 15 player, like Curry, over someone further down the list.
Pippen has become a controversial figure in recent years, distancing himself from Jordan despite all their success together. Today’s players are not safe from his critiques when he’s asked to give his honest opinion. Past players often point to the advantages today’s stars enjoy, but doing so usually alienates the league’s current superstars and their fan bases.
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