When Michael Jordan opted to retire for the first time, Scottie Pippen was expected to take over as the leader of the Chicago Bulls. With that in mind, Pip expected to be part of crucial plays when the game was on the line.
However, that would depend on the situation and what then-coach Phil Jackson mapped out. The Bulls found themselves in a well-known scenario during Game 3 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
Jackson had drawn out a play for the Bulls in the final 1.8 seconds against the New York Knicks. The Central Arkansas product was to inbound the ball and pass it to Toni Kukoc for the last shot. Pippen felt insulted and opted to sit out that final play.
Lucky for the Bulls, Kukoc converted the shot, and the Bulls won against the Knicks, 104-102. It was Chicago's first win in that series, although Pippen's actions overshadowed that victory. Scottie agreed to it and said he would voice his opinion again if he was put in a similar situation.
"I knew it as soon as I did it. I just didn't care," Pippen said in the book titled "Transition Game" via the New York Times .
Pippen's defense
Pippen explained his actions at the time, pointing out that he didn't necessarily want to be the one to take the last shot. He just wanted to be an option. Hence, it seems that he just didn't want to be the one to inbound the ball in that last play.
"After all I've been through with this organization, now you're gonna tell me to take the ball out and throw it to Toni Kukoc? You're insulting me. That's how I felt," Pippen said in an interview with GQ .
Looking back to the play before that last 1.8 seconds, Pippen had a chance to put the Bulls ahead for good. But his shot attempt was off, allowing Patrick Ewing to knot the count on the other end. Jackson may have been agitated about that play and turned to Kukoc instead. Phil could also have expected the Knicks to guard Pip since the game was on the line.
Either way, the important thing is that the Bulls avoided falling to a 0-3 series deficit. However, Pippen's antics did not sit well with some teammates. One of them was veteran Bill Cartwright, who called the Arkansas native selfish.
"Scottie, I can't believe you would let us come so far, to bust our tails, and then be so selfish," the Bulls center rued.
The Bulls would lose to the New York Knicks in seven games, missing a chance to advance to the NBA Finals. However, Pippen was put in a bad light, and his name surfaced in trade rumors.
The All-Star forward would continue to play for the Bulls in the 1994-95 season. The trade talk dissipated and was eventually put to rest. This was after it was announced that Michael Jordan would return to the Bulls later that season and continue his NBA career.
Related: “Win a championship, and then I can say, ‘Tell me how I can become a billionaire’” - Scottie Pippen was inspired to take notes from his peculiar role model
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