He will be apologizing quickly at the next basketball greats gathering and or commentary. He is demented and lost his mind due to the death of his son and or other factors. I think, though Kukoc was the right decision, Scotty sees it as a hindering moment to his next big contract. In his mind he was never paid adequately and sought for years for a big pay day that wasn't an endorsement but actual NBA contract to get it off his chest. I really can't say it was the right approach for Scotty but he did what he did. But declaring somebody that dear to him a racist because of collateral reasons is terrible.
I’m not going to argue Kawhi vs Pippen other than to say that the deciding factor can not be that Kawhi led the Raptors to a championship and Pippen didn’t win one as the lead. They didn’t play in the same era and Kawhi’s Raptors played a shell of a Warriors team in the finals. It was a gift championship. But anyways I knew Pippen lost it when he said he could put up Harden numbers if he played in this era.
Pippen was a great defender, possibly the greatest defensive wing ever. But Kawhi is pretty close on that front. Pippen was also probably more effective as a passer / floor general. In terms of 1-on-1 scoring, it's Kawhi by a mile.
Agreed. I’m not making an argument for Pippen over Kawhi or vice versa, I’m just saying the championship thing I quoted isn’t a factor.
Sure, Kawhi and the Raptors found themselves in a fortunate situation in that finals but Kawhi dominated and led Toronto throughout the playoffs in a way that Pippen simply couldn't ever, namely by scoring tons. So that championship run is a huge factor in my view.
don't do that. a gift championship ? please. first of all the run through the east was grueling. 7 game series against philly with jimmy butler. that team could have won it all if kawhi doesnt hit one of the most epic game winners ever. they then beat the #1 seed bucks beating them 4 straight after going down 0-2. in the finals two of their wins came against warriors full roster sans KD.... that same team without KD, the rockets and blazers could not win a single game against. If klay was healthy the whole series it probably goes seven, but there is nothing there to suggest the raptors could not or would not have still pulled it out. there was nothing easy about that run and they were very deserving champions. change out kawhi with scottie and they do not get passed the 76ers.
Hard to believe Pippen when it is a continued trend with him having problems with so many people/organizations.
You are right, that was too harsh. All champions are deserving champions. The gift was the injuries. Portland wasn’t a contender and the Rockets played 1 game with no Durant. They made no adjustments to guarding the pick and roll on Curry with KD out and then it was over. The Raptors were a good team that got the Warriors at the exact right time. I don’t know whether Pippen would have led them to the same result and Kawhi probably is better but I’m not basing it on one playoff run.
First off, Shaq isn’t the best center of all time. PERIOD. He had a great prime but He’s not the best. Additionally, Those “stacked” Rosters didn’t win before before Phil got there in Chicago or LA. It’s just a fact. Were they great situations? Of course, but you still have to go win the damn championship though. Asked Dr. J’s ‘77 Sixers team, some those 80’s Celtics & Lakers teams that did not win. The 73-9 Warriors lost. Those rosters guaranteed nothing. So give the man credit. Pippen has gone through some tough times of late and sounds like he’s still bitter about not getting paid by the Bulls. But calling Phil racist for drawing up a game winning play in a game that Pippen literally quit in, is just asinine.
"He had a great prime"... You mean those years that Phil coached him? No, you don't have to go by the "damn championships". That's one of the biggest, most nonsensical fallacies that persists in the sports debate world. You can't judge players and coaches by how many titles they won in isolation. There are TONS of factors that go into titles. Rings are team accomplishments, not individual ones. Does Phil deserve some credit? Sure, that's why I keep saying he was a good coach, I'm not denying that. But saying those players never won anything without him is a non sequitur. Correlation does not imply causation, and saying they won because of Phil is a huge disservice to Jordan, Pippen, and Kobe. And as we've established by now, Phil IS racist af. Pippen's explanation of his racism is also whack af, but Phil's racism is pretty well documented...
Too bad Phil Jackson didn't get to coach "white basketball" to all those championships, MJ, Pippen, Kobe, Shaq. He must have been ecstatic when the Lakers got Pau Gasol. "Finally!" LOL.
The b*stard also took away those game winning shots from Pippen and gave it to Paxon and Kerr. Outrage!
If that word is used loosely it will lose its important value in society. I don’t know whether Phil Jackson is or is not a racist, but based on his reasoning I don’t think anyone can conclude that he is.
maybe giving the final shot to Kukoc wasn’t based on racism, but the rhetoric that Phil has spewed shows he is indeed racist
One thing the bolsters your position is the lack of people coming to his defense. That says a whole lot.
I'm not sure it does. Coming to the defense of someone who is accused of being a racist would leave one vulnerable to being called a racist or at least racially insensitive. Who would want that headache? The "white basketball" versus "black basketball" thing was cringe, and certainly wouldn't fly today, even if there is/was truth to the idea that black players in the 70s trended towards a different, more individualistic style and were less willing to yield to a white authority figure (the coach) demanding "team play". In that case, there's certainly a better way to convey whatever observation he was trying to make, without the blatant negative stereotyping. His comments about young players he dealt with in the 90s/00s, and the effects of hip hop / rap music, are less damning to me. There's definitely a culture clash there. I don't think having negative views on elements of hip hop / rap culture makes one a racist.
I agree. Whoever comes out now and defends or sides with Phil can't look good. And also who is going to do that, the caucasian or european players like Paxson, Kerr, Kukoc or Wennington? Their defense would be scoffed at because y'know they're white. The african american players like Jordan, Shaq, Horace Grant or Rodman? There's no benefit for them to come out and speak on the matter. Whatever reason/motive Pippen decided to double down on this assessment of Phil Jackson can/will only benefit Pippen and no one else.
You don't know if Pippen could have done that they played in 2 different ERA's. Pippen played in an era where you could be mugged anytime you went to the basket and you had hand checking. If Pippen played today there is no reason he could not do what Kawhi is doing.