CHICAGO, Illinois, 6 October 2004 — Scottie Pippen, one of the members of the legendary Chicago Bulls team which scooped six NBA titles in the 1990s, announced his retirement yesterday.
The 39-year-old, who played with Michael Jordan on the team which was triumphant from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998, called it quits just as the Bulls were about to start their opening practice session for the new season.
“This was a very difficult decision for me to retire from playing a game that has been such a great part of my life,” said Pippen. “My family and I would like to thank the fans and the entire Chicago Bulls organization, especially (owner) Jerry Reinsdorf and (general manager) John Paxson, for bringing me back to where I started.
“I am retiring, but I still plan on being around for training camp to help this team. After 17 years, it’s tough for me to just walk away completely.”
Pippen had returned to Chicago last year but played in just 23 matches and had to undergo surgery on his knee. Pippen spent 11 years with the Bulls but was traded to the Houston Rockets in 1998 and then moved to the Portland Trail Blazers where he spent an injury-hit four seasons.
He played in 1,178 games and averaged 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.96 steals. He was also named among the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of all-time in 1996.
His 208 career playoff appearances rank second in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 237. Pippen led his teams to post-season appearances in each of his first 16 seasons and compiled NBA Playoff averages of 17.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 5.2 apg and 1.96 spg in 208 games.
Meanwhile, superstar Kobe Bryant, after more than a year filled with uncertainty as he fought a rape charge, is free again to concentrate on his game while controlling the destiny of the newly revamped Los Angeles Lakers.
“This is my team to lead,” Bryant said Monday during Media Day on the eve before the Lakers officially open training camp in San Diego. “Shaq was the focal point of the team. Now it’s different. Guys are looking to me for leadership, so it’s important that I establish what type of team we’re going to be.”
Last year, the Lakers boasted a lineup chock full of sure-shot Hall of Famers led by Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Along with timely heroics from backup-up guards Derek Fisher and Kareem Rush, they made it to the NBA finals. But instead of lifting their fourth crown in the past five years, they had a meltdown and were schooled by the heavily underdog Detroit Pistons in five games for the crown. Bryant won’t have the luxury of being surrounded by O’Neal, Payton, Fisher and perhaps Malone when the NBA tips off the 2004-05 campaign on Nov. 2. Instead, he will have to find success leading a group of unfamiliar faces like Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Chris Mihm, Chucky Atkins and Jumaine Jones.
That doesn’t seem to bother new Lakers head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who replaced Phil Jackson in the off season.
“I feel good about having a great player like Kobe, and I like the work ethic I’ve seen of these guys who are coming in,” Tomjanovich said. “It’s really a new era. Everything we start building is positive.” O’Neal, the league’s most dominant big man, got his wish and was traded to the Miami Heat this summer in exchange for Butler, Odom and Brian Grant.
“We had great times, we had some not-so-great times, but I sincerely just wish him all the best,” said Bryant of O’Neal, with whom he was rumored to have a love-hate relationship. “He’s got himself in great physical condition, and God bless him -- hope they have a good time.”
A reluctant Payton was dealt to the Boston Celtics, along with veteran forward Rick Fox, who retired because of assorted injuries. Malone, however, was seriously contemplating retirement because his surgically repaired knee hasn’t come around yet. Wanting more playing time, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors as an unrestricted free agent.
Bryant has had a tumultuous 15 months off court since he was charged in a highly publicized felony sexual assault case in July 2003, accused by a Colorado woman. If he had been found guilty, the basketball star could have received a jail sentence.
However, prosecutors dropped the charges in early September at the accuser’s request because the now 20-year-old woman refused to participate in the trial. But Bryant still faces a civil lawsuit by the woman for unspecified damages for pain and suffering since the alleged attack at a Vail-area resort.
Meanwhile, NBA clubs made some last-minute signings Monday in preparation for the start of pre-season training camps, with China’s Mengke Bateer joining the New York Knicks.
The 7-foot center joined Yao Ming as a member of China’s Olympic basketball squad, which matched its best-ever showing with an eighth-place finish at the Athens Games.
The Knicks also added a perimeter shooter in forward Tracy Murray, a 12-year veteran who has played for Portland, Houston, Toronto, Washington, Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers. Murray, 33, has averaged 9.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 659 career games.
