Scottie Pippen has been in and out of the news ever since he surprisingly came out against his former teammate, Michael Jordan. This happened after Jordan’s popular The Last Dance documentary came out in 2020.
Pippen has faced backlash from his comments on Jordan, but this wasn’t the first time Pippen found himself in controversy. In 1994, he was arrested for having a gun in his car.
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Pippen was the star of the Bulls when Jordan retired. It was all up to number 33, and he delivered. He put up averages of 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists, while being the perfect leader on the court.
Pippen was also crowned the 1994 All-Star Game MVP, proving he was having a career year. Pippen’s phenomenal play was nearly negated when, just after midnight on January 20, 1994.
The Chicago Bulls forward was out at a restaurant having dinner after having an off day against the Washington Bullets. Even though Pippen was only able to shoot 7-21 from the field and netting only 15 points, the Bulls did emerge victorious, winning 84-83.
While Pippen was enjoying his late-night dinner, cops were checking his illegally parked Range Rover. They found a loaded .38-Caliber pistol inside his car.
As Pippen left the restaurant, he was arrested. Pippen had a license for his gun, but in the state of Illinois, it was illegal to carry it in public.
“Like any other arrestee, he was processed,” stated Watch Commander Walter Logan.
Pippen was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor. Just 45 minutes after being booked, Pippen was released from jail after paying the $100 bond.
“Negative press and reaction I got, I really want to apologize to my family and friends for it. I can’t believe it has come to this,” Pippen said in a statement.
Pippen later went on a TV interview after the season to speak more about the gun incident.
“Things that were taken totally out of proportion. First of all, having the gun in my car, yes, it was wrong, I shouldn’t have had a gun in my car. It was an accident on my part that the gun was left in my car.
“It was therefore, it was tucked away, it was locked away in a glove compartment and it shouldn’t have been found. But it was found and it was taken, you know, to the next level. It was laying on the seat, I mean, why would I have a gun laying on the seat? I mean, there’s no one out to kill me or hit me and knock me off, so I mean that was taken to another level.”
The incident looked bad for Pippen’s image, and he agreed. But, fortunately for Pippen, the charges were eventually dropped as a judge said the gun was taken in an illegal search.
Pippen recovered from the incident and, despite falling short of a title in 1994, later secured three more championships after Jordan’s full return from baseball. His resilience marked a crucial chapter in the Bulls’ dynasty.
