Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman Deserve More Credit for Bulls Championship Success
While 'The Last Dance' has been a hot topic of discussion amongst basketball fans, have the narratives in the series been 100% honest? Sports Illustrated's Robin Lundberg discussed with Jimmy Traina in the latest edition of "Traina Thoughts".
Read the Full Video Transcript:
Robin Lundberg: We all know Michael Jordan was competitive, but 'The Last Dance' is really hammering that point home. For more, I'm joined by our Jimmy Traina. Jimmy, by watching the documentary, you would think it was Michael Jordan's will that won every championship for the Chicago Bulls, even though he had a good support system around him.
Jimmy Traina: Yeah, they laid it on thick with this week's episode, sort of defending him, punching Steve Kerr in the face and bullying Scott Burrell as if, you know, that's what led to the dynasty. And not the fact that Michael Jordan is the best player ever played the game. And Scottie Pippen is at that time was maybe a top five NBA player and probably the best defensive player in the league. And Dennis Rodman averaged twenty rebounds, a game that somehow is all brushed aside. And it's, you know, Michael Jordan coming up with some bizarre, deranged thing in his head about LaBradford Smith to beat the Wizards. It was a very strange sort of like, you know, narrative that was set out there in the last episode.
Robin Lundberg: You know, we we know there's a Jordan LeBron argument. Jordan clearly better than LaBradford, though. You know what I think is interesting, too, Jimmy, for, you know, the fact that Michael Jordan clearly wasn't enthralled by Jerry Krause. Krause did a pretty good job surrounding him with talent during that entire run.
Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated
Jimmy Traina: You know, getting him Scottie Pippen and then bringing in, I don't know if Krauss is responsible were bringing in Dennis Rodman. I mean, I think that's one that's sort of the whole organization probably asked to sign off on because he was so controversial. But, you know, once they brought Scottie Pippen in, you know, if you look back at those teams, one of the big themes throughout has been, the Bulls constantly beating the Knicks. The Knicks had Patrick Ewing and nobody the Bulls should have beaten the next back then. Their second best player was John Starks, who's bagging groceries, sort of, you know, a year before he got to the NBA. I would hope a team with Jordan and Pippen and Rodman would be the Knicks, right? Ewing and nothing.
Robin Lundberg: Yeah. You could make the argument. Scottie Pippen would have been the best player on the Knicks, at least be close between now and Patrick Ewing. Jimmy, appreciate your time as always.
"Traina Thoughts" features the daily opinion of SI media columnist Jimmy Traina. You can also read more from Robin Lundberg here.
Check out SI's Latest NBA News and Videos
Zion Williamson Served Request to Admit He Received Money To Attend Duke
Michael Jordan Chose Baseball. Baseball Never Chose Him Back
