Stan Van Gundy Wonders: Was Scottie Pippen Truly a Superstar?

Pippen’s controversial comments regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan have put his name back in the news, which has led some to consider his own career in the NBA. According to Stan Van Gundy, Scottie may have a been a tad overrated. From the Orlando Sentinel: “Van Gundy noted that some of the greatest teams in recent NBA history weren’t exactly loaded with superstars. He first listed the Detroit Pistons of a few years ago – a team that went to six straight Eastern Conference finals and won one championship. ‘Was there even one Hall of Famer on that team?’ Van Gundy asked rhetorically. ‘Debatable.’ Then he went to Michael Jordan’s dynastic Bulls and their six championships. Van Gundy speculated that perhaps Jordan was the only superstar on that team. ‘I have always wondered, as good as Scottie Pippen was, would he have been considered a star if he hadn’t played with Jordan and had to carry a team on his own,’ Van Gundy explained. ‘We’ll never know, but my point is that sometimes we make the determination after the fact. In other words, after Chicago won championships, we branded Pippen a star.'”