Scottie Pippen is not holding back when it comes to his past. The Chicago Bulls legend recently appeared on The Dan Patrick Show and was asked about recent comments he made to GQ. In that interview, Pippen said that former Bulls coach Phil Jackson making a “racial move” by not giving him the last-second shot in a 1994 playoff game against the New York Knicks. Pippen refused to return to the game with 1.8 seconds left, and Toni Kukoc ended up hitting the game-winner.
“By saying a racial move, then you’re calling Phil a racist,” Patrick asked Pippen. That led to Pippen saying, “I don’t got a problem with that.” Patrick then asked Pippen if he thinks Jackson was or is a racist. Pippen answered, “Oh yeah.” Pippen went on to explain why he felt like he should have gotten the shot over Kukoc.
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DP: “.. By saying it was a racial move then you’re calling Phil Jackson a racist…”
Pippen: “I don’t have a problem with that.”
DP: “Do you think Phil was?”
Pippen: “Oh yeah…”
Exchange with @ScottiePippen on Phil’s decision to have Kukoc take final shot against the Knicks pic.twitter.com/pH2aDLMDcQ
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 28, 2021
“One year without Michael Jordan. Can I get one shot? Like, I’m doing all the dirty work,” Pippen said. “Why would Toni, who was a rookie, get the last-second shot and you put me out of bounds? That’s what I mean racial.” One of the other things Pippen mentioned is Jackson’s relationship with Kobe Bryant when he was the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Pippen said the relationship was an example of how Jackson took advantage of Black players.
“Do you remember Phil Jackson left the Lakers and then wrote a book on Kobe Byrant and then came back and coached him?” Pippen asked. “I mean, who would do that? You name someone in professional sports that would do that. I think he tried to expose Kobe in a way that he shouldn’t have. You’re the head coach. You’re the guy who sits in the locker room and tells the players ‘this is a circle, and everything stays within the circle, and that’s what team is about.’ But you as the head coach, opening up, and now you go out and try to belittle at that time one of the greatest players in the game?”
After the interview aired, Pippen went to Twitter to double down on his comments. He wrote: “I’m just answering the questions y’all asking me. You wanted the headlines, you got them – dig deeper to find out why I actually said what I said instead of framing your questions to get clicks. It’s all love!”
