Tristan Thompson Sings ‘Beast’ Scottie Pippen’s Praises After ‘The Last Dance’ Premiere

ESPN’s 10-part documentary series, The Last Dance, has brought the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan back to the forefront of the conversation. Those that didn’t watch the dynasty in action are learning about the final championship of Jordan’s career while others are reminiscing about great games from NBA history. Tristan Thompson, however, is just happy to see Scottie Pippen getting some respect.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player tweeted about the first two episodes of The Last Dance on April 19, joining millions in a conversation about the Jordan and the Bulls. Thompson appreciated that Pippen was featured prominently considering his impact on the team and their championship run. He was glad to see Pippen “getting the respect that he deserves” due to being a “beast.” To Thompson’s point, Jordan’s “sidekick” was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 after winning six titles.

“He would have locked up LeBron ! LeBron would actually had to develop a signature move besides just head down straightforward power,” one NBA fan wrote in response to Thompson. There were several others that agreed with this due to Pippen’s reputation as one of the best defenders in the NBA.

The retired NBA star was the steals leader in 1995 (232), and he was named to the All-Defensive team 12 times in his 17-year career. This includes eight first-team selections. Pippen also finished his career with 2,307 steals, currently ranking sixth on the all-time list.

Thompson wasn’t solely focused on Pippen while watching The Last Dance. He also proclaimed that there needs to be a documentary about Kobe Bryant. He didn’t list the potential number of episodes or provide any further details, but Thompson simply said that the “world needs that” documentary, too.

A video series about Bryant could be possible, but it is not guaranteed. A camera crew filmed the late NBA icon’s final season with the Los Angeles Lakers for what many believed to be an upcoming documentary about his 20 seasons in the league, as well as a 60-point final game prior to his retirement. Bryant was reportedly in control of the footage and had provided feedback to those in the editing bay prior to his death.

“They had unprecedented and, by far, greater access than anyone else ever,” said John Black, the former leader of the Lakers’ public relations department. “We certainly allowed them to do everything we could within what the league would allow, and sometimes, with a wink and look-the-other-way, allowed them even more.” The Lakers former head athletic trainer also compared the process to a reality show.

Whether or not this footage ever sees the light of day as a documentary is unknown. Thompson would certainly be happy for its release. For now, however, he will continue to enjoy The Last Dance. All episodes of the ESPN series are available on their site now, with new episodes airing each Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET.