Clyde Drexler played during a time when the NBA was plagued by incredibly talented players. Michael Jordan's name often topped the list when discussing the greats from that era. However, "Clyde the Glide" always believed Scottie Pippen should also deserve equal recognition.
According to Drexler, he has frequently pointed to Pippen as a player who complemented Jordan's abilities and showcased his unique skill set. In fact, Clyde revealed that he used to tell his coach that many don't realize it, but Pip was as deadly as MJ.
"We set our game plan to stop Michael, but you know, you gotta watch Scottie because he's going to score the ball, beat you in transition, and is a great defender. Scottie would do stuff offensively, and I go, 'coach, Scottie can move like Michael offensively, you gotta give him more respect," Drexler said during a special NBA feature alongside Pippen, David Robinson, and Robert Horry.
Pippen and MJ always caught Drexler off guard
Drexler was an exceptional player in his own right and a keen observer of his contemporaries. Clyde was already in awe of Pippen's game, but "The Glide" recognized that, along with Jordan , they formed a powerhouse duo on the court.
Decades have passed since Drexler last dueled with Scottie and MJ, but he still remembers how the pair often caught him off guard during games. For "Clyde the Glide," Jordan had a knack for surprising his matchups with unpredictable moves, and so did Pippen.
"You know they're good, but when you see them do stuff throughout the course of the game, you go 'Wow!' As a player, you're sitting there like, 'Man, that was a sweet move'… So, when you play with these guys, they always got two or three moves that you don't plan for," the Hall of Famer revealed.
Related: "I'm gonna bring a different color Ferrari every day this week" - How Michael Jordan responded to Antoine Walker coming to practice in Ferrari
Scottie was no second fiddle to Jordan
Apart from Drexler, Chicago Bulls longtime owner Jerry Reinsdorf also believed that contrary to the well-known narrative, Pippen was never Jordan's sidekick . As per Reinsdorf, Scottie's legacy wasn't merely about being a supporting cast but rather as MJ's formidable co-star and an essential contributor to the team's success.
"A lot of people liked to talk about Scottie as being Batman's Robin or the Lone Ranger's Tonto," Reinsdorf once said . "I never thought that was the case, and I liked to think of them as 1 and 1A. They were very, very close."
In conclusion, Drexler and Reinsdorf's admiration for Pippen speaks volumes about their appreciation for undeniable talent and deep understanding of the game of basketball. For them, Jordan could be the GOAT, but that doesn't and should never take away anything from Pippen.
Related: When Michael Jordan slipped out of NY and gambled during the 1993 EC Finals: "We got a limo and went and gambled for a couple of hours and came back"
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