“That was something Scottie could do which Michael wanted” - Phil Jackson revealed what Michael Jordan liked about Scottie Pippen’s game

The partnership between Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen worked so well for the Chicago Bulls because they were never really jealous of each other. The duo knew they needed each other to succeed, so they never hesitated to help one another fulfill their potential. According to their head coach, Phil Jackson , with whom Jordan and Pippen won all six of their championships, there was one particular skill set that Pip had that MJ wanted to learn so badly.

“ They were making a reverse pivot and Scottie was going to the basket dunking with his left hand,” Jackson described to NBA.com’s Adam Fluck . “Michael was trying to learn from Scottie how to get the steps right to finish with his left hand. That was something that Scottie could do, which Michael wanted in his repertoire ,” Jackson said.

Mike and Pip’s relationship

According to the “Zen Master,” Jordan and Pippen always communicated to the team how to work the offense. In fact, there were times when Jackson entered the training facility and instantly saw the duo on the side of the court working on their corner series—a segment that was integral to the triangle offense innovated by Tex Winter.

Jackson said that Jordan and Pippen never hesitated to communicate and even correct each other because in his own words, they had tremendous respect for each other.

“ They both worked incredibly hard on their game, always putting in the extra work to be better players. They had an understanding of how to get a job accomplished and there was regular collaboration between the two of them that brought an incredible amount of success to that basketball team ,” Jackson said.

Pippen’s first impression on Jordan

The relationship between Jordan and Pippen didn’t click right off the bat. In fact, the seven-time All-Star admitted that “His Airness” was a little distant when the former joined the Bulls in 1987. For Jordan, Pippen was just one of those “Arkansas boys” at first, but he eventually realized that, just like him, Pippen wanted to win.

As for Scottie, he knew that Jordan was all about achieving his goals, which is why he never bothered to step on his toes. The forward also didn’t go the extra mile to befriend Jordan because their relationship developed naturally from their rooted desire to put the Bulls on the map.

“ … When we came together we bonded really well. We had a great understanding of what team and chemistry mean to the game of basketball. And we were able to take advantage of that, by playing together for so many years and just allowing our relationship to develop more and more,” Pippen told SLAM in 2011.

The type of relationship that the duo of Jordan and Pippen had brought out the best in them and led them to win six championships together.

Related: "I just don't see how you would get equal value" - Michael Jordan believed the Bulls could never get anybody as valuable as Scottie Pippen