Pippen Sees Chance to Expand Appeal

Of all the honorary titles conferred upon Scottie Pippen during his professional career, leader of men is not among them. He has been acknowledged at various times as the most versatile offensive talent in the sport, capable of dominating in the front and backcourt, and as basketball’s most daunting defender. During the first half of the Bulls’ march to an unprecedented 72-victory season, no less a judge than Michael Jordan called him the best all-around performer in the game as well as the most valuable player in the NBA.

Yet, despite earning four championship rings and one Olympic gold medal, Pippen is perceived as a follower. With the Bulls, he has been typecast as a sidekick, Robin to Jordan’s Batman. On the first Dream Team that descended upon Barcelona as if from another galaxy, he was relegated to the chorus. Only Christian Laettner, the token college player, was younger and the contributions of Pippen, who had as many assists as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird combined, were largely overlooked.

For those and other reasons, it wasn’t just important for the man to play for the USA men’s team at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. It was critical. This was his chance to stand apart from Jordan, to receive some of the attention eternally focused on His Airness and, in the last year, frequently diverted by teammate (and exhibitionist) Dennis Rodman.

As it developed, the coaching staff of Dream Team III was as pleased as Pippen that he joined the cast this week, that he ignored the request of Bulls management to skip the Olympics and rest his battered body. As one of five veterans of Barcelona and one of only two players with an NBA championship to his credit, his role has been upgraded to that of senior partner. And yesterday, at the conclusion of the team’s third practice session at Moody Bible Institute, head Coach Lenny Wilkens designated him a leader. He will share the team captaincy with David Robinson and John Stockton.

“Everybody’s been telling me that Scottie’s hurting,” Wilkens said following a scrimmage in which Pippen threw down a few slams and beat most everyone down the court. “And he is. But he’s a competitor. He makes other people better.”

Pippen took the compliment in stride: “I don’t expect to do or say anything out of context. I don’t think any one person has to be a leader on this team. We’re all stars. We can all handle ourselves.”

Still, it was precisely the sort of affirmation he sought when he set out a year ago, with the help of his agent, to rebuild a reputation tattered by his refusal (during Jordan’s sabbatical) to enter a playoff game against the New York Knicks with 1.8 seconds remaining when the play was diagrammed for Toni Kukoc and by persistent whining about being underpaid. It happened to be the truth, but even his supporters grew tired of the complaints and his demands for a trade.

Compensation no longer is an issue, not because he no longer feels slighted but because he knows management has no intention of increasing his $2.25 million salary. Pippen has two years left on his contract and the Bulls have more pressing matters, namely negotiating a new deal with another underpaid employee named Jordan and determining if they can afford Rodman. They reluctantly acceded to Coach Phil Jackson’s insistence for a major raise into the $2 million neighborhood, if only for one year.

“Right now,” Pippen said Wednesday while removing an ice pack from each knee, “it’s obvious there’s no way I can be paid the way I would like to be paid. Basketball’s been good to me. No one owes me anything. I’ll get my justice some day.”

Actually, the scales are being balanced right now. The combination of his presence on Dream Team III and the spectacular season enjoyed by the Bulls has raised his profile to the top levels in the sport. The well-received Visa card commercial with Hakeem Olajuwon is just one example of his growing popularity. According to the Chicago Tribune, Pippen’s income from product endorsements is exceeded only by that of Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.

“It’s been a 360-degree turnaround for me in one year,” he said this week. “I’m now making much more money off the court than I do playing basketball.” From two to three times as much, the paper estimated.

Understandably, he was reluctant to walk away from the world stage that is the Olympics because the Bulls were concerned he might not be at 100 percent for the start of a new season. He has played more games in the last eight years, an average of 94.5 including the playoffs, than any other athlete in the NBA and he has paid the price with a variety of ailments. The team has gotten its money’s worth and then some from Pippen. He believes the offseason belongs to him.

“They tried to get me to reconsider my decision,” Pippen said. “They wondered whether this was an important thing for me to do at this stage of my career. I told them it’s very important and I want to do it. I made an obligation to be on this team (last summer) and an obligation to some companies. Why shouldn’t I play? It’s the last chance I’ll have.”

The Bulls’ drive for a regular-season record and a fourth title in six years was an all-consuming enterprise. “You spend seven or eight months together to achieve a goal,” Pippen said, “and the excitement of winning a championship is overwhelming.” The march to a gold medal in Barcelona offered the pride and recognition associated with a triumphal parade and he expects Atlanta to be more of the same.

This Dream Team won’t be able to play the inaugural Dream Team, except in mind games. Pippen said the current edition is quicker and more versatile. “But we don’t have the experience of the ’92 team,” he added, “and I would say the ’92 team was more talented. Some of these guys haven’t even scratched the surface (of their talent).”

Pippen thought a more interesting contest would be one between Dream Team III and the Bulls. “I’ll tell you this,” Wilkens said after pondering such a matchup, “Scottie signed with the Olympic team so (the Bulls) can’t have him back.”

After all, the man is one of his captains.