Former American guard Ron Harper, who won five NBA titles, praised his former Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen as the best wing player in basketball history. At the same time, Harper confirmed that Chicago’s historic star Michael Jordan remains the greatest player of all time, settling a decades-long debate over the ranking of the game’s legends, despite legendary coach Phil Jackson’s provocative remarks hinting at Pippen’s superiority over Jordan.
Harper’s remarks came during an appearance on the Cousins podcast, where he recalled the characteristics of the Chicago Bulls’ golden era, which actually lasted from 1991 to 1998 and witnessed the team win six championships in eight years, including two historic hat tricks between 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. Participated in the second trilogy in 1994 and 1999. Chicago’s dominance over the league was established at this stage, with Jordan and Pippen established as the two pillars of an extraordinary sports project.
“Scottie Pippen is the best little wing in the history of basketball,” Harper said. When it comes to Michael Jordan, he’s the most decisive player on game day. When he’s on the field, we never lose. Whether it’s a 10-point difference, a 2-point difference or an 18-point difference, he’ll lead the team to victory. Scotty has all the skills in basketball. High football IQ, understands the game perfectly and knows how to play it the right way. He is an extraordinary talent. He could shoot, dribble, defend positions 1-5 and was the ideal partner for anyone he played with. But he will need No. 23 to overcome the big hurdles. Because he is the one who will lead the team to the top. ”
Coach Harper emphasized that Pippen is a vital element in the team’s system as a two-way player who brings both defensive and offensive balance to the team. During his career, which spanned nearly 17 seasons in the league, he averaged 16 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from beyond the arc, numbers that reflect his gradual development and key role in his continued success.
Despite its importance, Harper emphasized that the completion of this heroic project depends on Jordan’s presence. After Jordan turned to baseball for the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 seasons, when Jordan first retired, Pippen assumed leadership and led the team to a 55-27 record in 1993-1994, before losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the New York Knicks. The following season, Jordan’s return ended and the team’s journey ended in the semifinals against Orlando. This highlighted the value of Pippen’s leadership, but confirmed that Jordan made a crucial difference in key appointments.
Harper added that Jordan’s influence went beyond numbers and statistics, as he established a strict work culture within the team based on giving his all, intense competition and daily discipline. “There were no days off,” he says. When they enter the venue, they act as if they are at an official game. The training was done at the speed of the match itself, and the work was very hard, so it didn’t feel like the difficulty of the match. ”
Michael Jordan’s accomplishments are etched into the memory of the game: six championships, five MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, and 14 All-Star appearances. Over 15 seasons, he averaged 30 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the arc. These numbers reflect rare individual excellence combined with unprecedented collective success.
As it turned out, Harper appeared to be decisive in his vision. While Scottie Pippen was an extraordinary field leader and one of the greatest players to hold his own in the history of the game, Michael Jordan set the standard for victory and was the driving force behind one of the greatest eras in American basketball history.
Former American guard Ron Harper, who won five NBA titles, praised his former Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen as the best small forward in basketball history. At the same time, Harper settled a decades-long debate over the ranking of the game’s legends, asserting that historic Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan remains the greatest player of all time, despite provocative statements from legendary coach Phil Jackson that implied Pippen was better than Jordan.
Harper’s remarks came during an appearance on the Cousins podcast, where he recalled the golden era of the Chicago Bulls. That golden era effectively spanned 1991-1998 and saw the team win six championships in eight years, including two historic three-peats between 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. Harper was with the team from 1994 to 1998. In 1999, participated in the second three-peat. This period solidified the Bulls’ dominance in the league and established Jordan and Pippen as two cornerstones of an extraordinary sports project.
“Scottie Pippen is the best little forward in the history of basketball,” Harper said. “On the other hand, Michael Jordan is the best clutch player on game day. When he’s on the court, you never lose. You can lose by 10 points, two points, or 18 points, but he’s going to lead your team to victory. Scotty is the best basketball player. He has all the skills. He has a high basketball IQ, he understands the game perfectly and he knows how to do it right. He can shoot, he can dribble, and he was an ideal teammate for anyone playing with him. But he needs the No. 23 to get the team over the top.
Harper emphasized that Pippen is a vital element in the team’s system, a two-way player who provides balance on both defense and offense. Over a career that spanned nearly 17 seasons in the league, he averaged 16 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from beyond the arc, numbers that reflect his gradual development and key role in his continued success.
Despite this importance, Harper emphasized that the completion of the championship project depends on Jordan’s presence. In the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 seasons, when Jordan turned to baseball and retired for the first time, Pippen led the team to a 55-27 record before losing to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The following season, when Jordan returned for the final time, the team’s journey ended in the semifinals against Orlando, underscoring the value of Pippen’s leadership, but also confirming the difference Jordan made in key moments.
Harper added that Jordan’s influence went beyond numbers and statistics, establishing a rigorous work culture within the team based on complete dedication, fierce competition and daily discipline. “There was no rest. When you walk into the gym, you act as if you were in an official match. Practice was at game speed and the work was so hard that the difficulty of the match didn’t feel as great,” he said.
Michael Jordan’s legacy is firmly etched in the memory of the game: six championships, five MVP awards, 10 leading scorers, and 14 All-Star Game appearances. Over 15 seasons, he averaged 30 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the arc. These numbers reflect rare individual dominance combined with unprecedented collective success.
In conclusion, Mr. Harper’s view seemed conclusive. Scottie Pippen was an extraordinary floor leader and one of the greatest players to ever play the position in the history of the game, while Michael Jordan was a driving force who set high standards for winning and helped create one of the greatest eras in American basketball history.
