Few would deny that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest athletes that ever lived, and he remains a revered basketball legend amongst fans and fellow stars alike. Even Shaquille O’Neal was intimidated by him. Not many were able to reach the heights that Air Jordan hit (both figuratively and literally). However, there are those who critique certain aspects of his game. For the longest time, many have questioned his merits as a defensive player. The latest to weigh in on that debate is NBA veteran Gilbert Arenas, who made an argument during a discussion on a podcast. In doing so, he also mentioned Jordan’s most famous teammate, Scottie Pippen.
MJ did have defensive skills, even if he was unable to guard a wide variety of positions like LeBron James has done for much of his career. During an episode of Gil’s Arena, former NBA journeyman Gilbert Arenas’ discussed the debate over the Chicago Bulls legend’s abilities when not handling the ball. Arenas’ contention is that Air Jordan was made into a better defensive player due to the people that were around him. The specific person Arenas mentioned was Scottie Pippen. He made his argument when issuing the following sentiments:
Think about when he made his first All Defensive Team. It’s the year Scottie Pippen comes to the game. He wasn’t considered a defensive player until Scottie Pippen comes, because now him and Scottie Pippen can do exactly what they’re… ‘When he’s on the ball, Scottie Pippen you follow me. Scottie Pippen, when you have the ball, I’m netting everything up.’ Right? So they had a great system.
One should also mention that at the end of Pip’s first year, His Airness was also crowned Defensive Player of the Year. It’s true that the two Bulls players definitely had incredible synergy during the years that they played together. And I would agree with the Washington Wizards alum that “Pip” was important to Jordan’s development on the defensive side of the court. All in all, the two complimented each other well on the court and are still considered one of the greatest on-court duos in the history of basketball.
With that information in mind, it’s a shame that the two have been estranged for a while now. ESPN’s The Last Dance (which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription) seemingly caused a rift between them. Scottie Pippen didn’t mince words when expressing his disdain for the docuseries, as he claimed that Michael Jordan used it to prop himself up and didn’t give due credit to other players. Since then, Pippen has criticized his former teammate’s skills, even going as far as to say that Jordan was a “horrible” player. As of this writing, Jordan himself has not publicly responded to the comments.
A number of other basketball vets have taken issue with those comments. MJ’s former friend, Charles Barkley, clapped back at the famed small forward, accusing him of “big-game hunting” in order to sell his 2021 memoir, Unguarded. Barkley later shared more thoughts, saying that the jabs aimed at MJ are “really not cool at all.” Even NBA icon Jerry West expressed disappointment with the comments shared by the Bulls alum.
Regardless of what their personal relationship looks like now, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will continue to be linked. And the discussion regarding the latter’s impact on the former’s defense is an example of that. After hearing Gilbert Arenas’ thoughts, I’d also be curious to know where some other players stand on the topic.
