“You could not ask for anyone better than Scottie” - When Bill Wennington was saved from Phil Jackson’s wrath by Scottie Pippen

Sure, everyone thinks the Chicago Bulls wouldn’t have won those six championship rings without Michael Jordan, but the players who were integral to the team recognized Scottie Pippen ’s invaluable contribution in uniting them and improving their overall prowess. Interestingly, Bill Wennington , who was part of Phil Jackson ’s second three-peat in the ‘90s, emphasized that the entire team, including Mike, was privileged to have ‘Robin’ as their colleague.

"As a teammate, you could not ask for anyone better than Scottie," Wennington wrote in his memoir 'Bill Wennington’s Tales From the Bulls Hardwood.' "And that includes Michael."

Wennington on Pippen

In the aftermath of ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, the seven-time All-Star has been outspoken about his superior camaraderie compared to Jordan. Wennington echoed those sentiments, recounting an incident where Pippen intervened to save him from Jackson’s scolding during a team film session.

The Bulls adhered to a precise defensive strategy in the ‘90s, which prohibited double-teaming opponents in the paint. However, Bill, who was playing forward alongside Luc Longley, was instructed by Scott to go against Phil’s directive and commit this defensive breach. When the Zen Master was poised to reprimand the 7’0” center, Pip barged in to take accountability.

Wennington revealed that this wasn’t an isolated incident; instead, as the team’s leader, Scott always had the back of each of his teammates in even worse situations.

"That sort of thing didn’t happen just once. It happened several times, and not just with me, but with all the players on the team, " Bill added. "He had taken the role of a leader on the floor, and he was defending his decisions to Phil in our film meeting."

Pippen was the best teammate, according to Bill

This isn’t the first time Wennington has spoken so highly of Pip’s sense of accountability or even this incident. Although Wennington sees Jordan as the primary reason behind the Bulls’ dominance throughout the 1990s, his favorite teammate remained Pippen .

Put simply, Wennington appreciates how Pippen consistently enhanced team chemistry, improving everyone around him.

"When you have a teammate like Scottie who is willing to stand up for his actions on the floor, good or bad, " Wennington said. "It makes playing with him and the team chemistry a whole lot better."

Related: “Block that b*tch” - Michael Jordan kept coming after Bill Wennington in practice after getting his shot blocked by the center