Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen revealed in his book Unguarded that he and Michael Jordan would not have participated in the “Dream Team” if Isiah Thomas had been selected.
The rivalry between Pippen, Jordan, and Thomas, the leader of the Detroit Pistons‘ “Bad Boys,” has been well-known for decades. In his book, Pippen explains that the chemistry between the players would have been terrible if Thomas had been part of the Olympic team.
“Much has been written over the years about why Isiah didn’t make the team,” Pippen wrote. “What is true, without a doubt, is that a number of guys wouldn’t have participated if he had been selected, Michael and me included.”
“Looking at his numbers, it would be difficult to argue that Isiah wasn’t deserving,” Pippen added. “But putting a basketball team together is about more than numbers. It’s about chemistry, and with Isiah… the chemistry would have been horrible.”
NBA legends Isiah Thomas and Dominique Wilkins attend the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of the 2022 NBA All Star Weekend at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
The attempt at reconciliation between Pippen and Thomas
Scottie Pippen also revealed that Thomas tried to contact him in 2020 to attempt to reconcile. However, Pippen rejected the idea, recalling their troubled relationship in the past.
“In the spring of 2020, while the doc was airing, Isiah was interested in the two of us declaring a truce,” Pippen wrote. “He reached out to B.J. Armstrong, who called me: ‘Would you be willing to talk to him?’ B.J. asked. Dude, are you kidding me? When I came into the league, he was never nice to me. Why would I want to meet with him now? Isiah is no fool. He knows better than anyone how poorly he came across in The Last Dance, and with good reason. I wasn’t about to make it easier for him.”
The Bulls-Pistons rivalry
The rivalry between the Bulls and Pistons was intense during the 1990s. The Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas, eliminated the Bulls in the Conference Finals in 1988, 1989, and 1990. However, the Bulls got their revenge by sweeping the Pistons in 1991.
During the 1991 series, before Game 4, Thomas and the Pistons left the court without shaking hands with the Bulls, a gesture widely regarded as unsportsmanlike.
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The legacy of the “Dream Team”
The “Dream Team” won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, defeating Croatia in the final. All players on the team, except Christian Laettner, are members of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jordan and Pippen went on to win six championships together with the Bulls, while Thomas won two with the Pistons. The rivalry between these players remains a hot topic in basketball discussions.
Scottie Pippen’s revelation about the possibility that he and Michael Jordan would have skipped the “Dream Team” if Isiah Thomas had been selected has stirred controversy. The rivalry between these players has been fierce over the years and continues to spark debate in the basketball world.
