Chicago Bulls: Pippen ‘hated’ Rodman when they were first teammates
It has once again become a topic of discussion about how the Chicago Bulls formed their big three players for their last three titles of the dynasty run through the 1990s. Alongside legendary shooting guard Michael Jordan, the Bulls had assembled an all-time great trio that featured Hall-of-Fame forwards Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen.
Pippen and Rodman wound up being good teammates and the perfect duo to form the trio alongside Jordan with the Bulls from 1995-1998. The Bulls won three titles in the three complete seasons that this trio played together. Even when Pippen roughly half of the 1997-98 regular season, the Bulls electric.
The Bulls finished up still as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference during that regular season as Rodman and Jordan were aging and Pippen was working back from injury/holdout.
But one of the more controversial matters that came up in discussion among various hoops fan and media circles of late concerning the 1990s Bulls teams was the chemistry between Pippen and Rodman at first. There are multiple accounts from these two stating that Rodman had to apologize to Pippen about how he was with the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons before the locker room could come together cohesively in 1995.
Once that situation worked itself out between Pippen and Rodman, then all seemed to be good for the rest of their seasons together as teammates in the Windy City.
How Pippen and Rodman formed a solid duo for the Chicago Bulls?
Once the so-called hatred/bone that Pippen had to pick with Rodman was smoothed out, these two became one of the best forward duos in NBA history. From their run together throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, they combined three All-Star Game appearances, six All-Defensive Team selections, one rebounding title, three All-NBA Team selections, and five top 15 finishes in the MVP voting.
Pippen and Rodman are now both Hall-of-Famers and make frequent media appearances together. They speak glowingly about each other now, which is great to see from two of the best Bulls players in franchise history.
The Bulls won six titles all together throughout the 1990s, and Pippen was there the entire way along Jordan’s side. Rodman was there for half of them but did win two additional rings with the Pistons prior to landing with the Bulls.
The relationship between this Bulls legendary trio of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman was largely spotlighted in the 10-part documentary series released last spring highlighting the 1997-98 Bulls title-winning team “The Last Dance”.
Next. Who deserves less playing time for the Bulls?. dark
There are more documentaries coming out soon focusing on some other intriguing side storylines that were spotlighted in The Last Dance, including “Moment of Truth” on IMDB. That will spotlight in a five-part docuseries the murder of MJ’s father James Jordan.