If you go see a Bulls game in Chicago, you’ll notice a big statue out front of Michael Jordan. I’m one of the biggest Jordan fans you’ll find. I have all kinds of Jordan items around my house. Too many, in fact, and I should probably look to get rid of a few. In my opinion, Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. He dominated the court at both ends, which can be rare. There are players that can score but can’t play defense. And there are players that can defend but can’t score and take over a game. Jordan could do all of that and more.

Jordan deserves the big statue out front, there’s no doubt about that. But he wouldn’t have been able to get all of those championships without Scottie Pippen. Pippen could do it all too. He drove the lane, hit big threes and played defense. And he sure played defense. Those long arms reached in for many a steal. The only thing he wasn’t as good at was taking over a game on the offensive end. It’s not that he couldn’t shoot or create his own shot, he just didn’t have the knack for it quite like Jordan did.

The Bulls retired Pippen’s number back in 2005 but I always thought they should do more. Sure, he didn’t leave the Bulls on the best of terms but he was a huge part of the Chicago Bulls. The man won two gold medals and six championships, was named to seven All-Star games (winning MVP once), made the All-Defensive First Team eight times and the All-NBA First Team three times. Oh yeah, he was also named to the “50 Greatest Players in NBA History” list and he’s in the Hall of Fame.

I’m glad to see Pippen back as a “team ambassador” for the Bulls. I wish he never had to leave so that he was only known as a Bull but hey, things happen. People say he couldn’t win without Jordan but he did a nice job of leading the team after Jordan retired. That season, Pippen led the Bulls in scoring, assists, blocks and steals. In fact, he led the league in steals that year. He finished third in the MVP voting and the Bulls only had two wins less than the year before. And in the playoffs, the Bulls lost to the Knicks in seven games but probably would have won if not for a terrible call on Pippen that allowed the Knicks to hit the game-winning free throws.

So during halftime of a recent game against the Celtics (where the Bulls destroyed them), the team unveiled the new statue in a ceremony for Pippen. It’s not a huge statue outside like Jordan’s but it’s a nice tribute for a player that helped bring six titles home. And while he wouldn’t have won those championships without Jordan, MJ wouldn’t have them without Pippen either.

Pippen has always been my second-favorite player ever and he was so much fun to watch. I just wanted to say congratulations and give the man his due. He is one of the greatest small forwards to ever play and was just an unbelievable talent on the defensive side of the ball. I hope to get to the United Center eventually to see the statue in person.

In case you never got to see Pippen play, here are some highlights from his career. I’ll also put the video from the night they unveiled the statue below.  The sound is kind of quiet so you’ll have to turn it up for that one, sorry.

-Charlie Hustle