If Scottie Pippen was in today’s NBA, would he fancy himself to be the best player in the league? Probably. But the Chicago Bulls legend will forever see his name etched in NBA history alongside that of Michael Jordan‘s, with him touted as the Robin to MJ’s Batman as the two were instrumental in winning six NBA titles in the 1990s. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were considered the best NBA duo in the 1990sGettyPippen, 60, though, has recently stated for the record that he is more than sick of the decades of questions about his former teammate. Pippen is tired of hearing Jordan’s nameSitting down with El Pais’ Daniel Arribas on Saturday, Pippen was asked, on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, just how tired he was talking about Jordan.“I’d say probably a 12,” Pippen told Arribas. “I’ve been used to it since my first day in the NBA. “Everything has always revolved around Michael Jordan. But you know, I’m happy I was able to leave my own legacy and not have to talk about him all the time.”Pippen was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the fifth overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8 forward was immediately traded to the Bulls where he became a defensive standout.The great Jordan himself, who is widely considered the best basketball star of all time, declared Pippen his “greatest teammate” due to his influential – and integral – role in helping ‘Air Jordan’ spearhead the Bulls franchise to superstardom.“Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen,” No. 23 said on his hit Netflix show ‘The Last Dance.’“Everybody says I won all these championships. But I didn’t win without Scottie Pippen. That’s why I consider him my greatest teammate of all time.”Jordan even picked his former teammate when asked to name his dream five-man line-up, even overlooking the likes of iconic NBA small forwards Dominique Wilkins and Julius ‘Dr J’ Irving.“I played with one of the best small forwards, Scottie Pippen,” Jordan said back in 2005. “He is as versatile as it comes. He handles the ball. He’s a good defensive rebounder. Pippen can’t escape his name being firmly attached to Jordan’sGettyHe was instrumental to the Bulls’ success, helping them to win six NBA titlesGetty“I would be hard-pressed to pick someone else at the small forward position, even though I know Dr. J [Julius Erving] is sitting right there, too, especially in terms of excitement.“And there’s Dominique Wilkins, too. And you’d have to think about Elgin Baylor, even though I never saw Baylor play, or played with him. But from what I know, and what he could provide, it’s Scottie Pippen. I know that’s being biased to some degree. But I can’t help it.”Pippen makes bold claim about his stardomIn the same interview with Arribas, Pippen was asked about whether he felt he would be the best player in the NBA if he played today, and the seven-time All-Star didn’t hesitate to back himself. “Yes, I think so,” he admitted. “There’s no reason to think otherwise. If I worked as hard as I did then, I’d easily be among the best.”In his lengthy 17-year career in the NBA, Pippen spent all but five seasons with the Bulls, spending one season with the Houston Rockets via trade, before joining the Portland Trail Blazers for four seasons. Aged 38, he returned to the Windy City for the 2003-04 campaign, which ultimately proved to be his last.Victor Wembanyama (L) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (R) are two of the best modern starsGettyGilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic were the MVP contenders last seasonGettyMaking 1,178 total league appearances, Pippen finished his career averaging 16.1 points shooting at a 47.3 percent clip, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and two steals per contest. However, his numbers when in Chicago – especially when assuming the leading role after Jordan departed in pursuit of a brief baseball career – were above these career averages. Across 12 years in Chi-Town, Pippen recorded 17.7 points per game shooting from 48.1 percent from the field, along with 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.In the 1994-94 season – the best of his career – he averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.9 steals, which saw him finished third in MVP voting, fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, making the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA First Team.NBA's GreatestGreatest NBA players in the world right now – from Luka Doncic to Spurs phenom Victor WembanyamaBest players in NBA history to never win a championship – James Harden and Carmelo Anthony to Allen Iverson and Karl Malone10 richest owners in the NBA – family empires, media moguls and investment gurusMichael Jordan’s top 10 scoring games – counting down MJ’s most extraordinary totalsThere is no doubting he was a huge star, and rose to the occasion when he wasn’t busy being Jordan’s partner in crime, but today’s league has an abundance of talent which some may even argue are generational, such as LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. These names, along with that of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and Milwaukee Bucks icon Giannis Antetokounmpo have dominated the NBA in recent years.In the 2024-25 season, both Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged over 30 points per game, shooting at a remarkable efficiency from the field with 60.1 percent and 51.9 percent, respectively.When comparing these numbers to Pippen’s, the former Bulls star looks more like he would be on the cusp of being named an All-Star instead of being a leading MVP contender.Furthermore, this notion is further cemented by the fact that 16 players eclipsed double-digit rebounding seasons, seven of whom occupy a forward position.Whilst Pippen undoubtedly has left a huge legacy in the NBA, it is inevitable that he will always be associated with Jordan, no matter how much he dislikes it.Stay up to date with the latest from the NBA across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews and more.