Craig Hodges Says Scottie Pippen Matches Michael Jordan Impact

Analysts and former players have recently sparked renewed discussions about the legacies of basketball legends LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen. Caitlin Clark, a rising WNBA star, has been compared to LeBron and Jordan for her unprecedented impact on the league’s economics and fan engagement, with her rookie season driving significant attendance increases and franchise valuation surges. Meanwhile, Scottie Pippen’s contributions to the Chicago Bulls’ 1990s dominance are being reevaluated, with former teammate Craig Hodges asserting that Pippen was never "any less" a player than Jordan, highlighting his defensive prowess, unselfish play, and versatility. Pippen himself has voiced skepticism about the idea of a single greatest player, emphasizing the subjective nature of such debates and pointing to players like Nikola Jokic who revolutionize the game in different ways. Key moments like Pippen's defensive switch to guard Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA Finals are credited with altering basketball history by enabling the Bulls to secure their first championship. Collectively, these perspectives underscore a growing recognition of diverse forms of greatness and the evolving narratives around basketball legends across both the NBA and WNBA.