Scottie Pippen popped into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. It was his first time inside the space, whose exhibits include a prominent painting of him stretching a hook shot over a defender. Sure, he was at his own induction a decade ago, but this space? Nah, he's never seen it.
Pippen had played celebrity -- and shot a round of scratch golf -- at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas golf tournament at Pleasant Valley Country Club that day. Two flights of approximately 120 golfers -- along with sponsors and Pippen -- helped raise $100,000 or more, said executive director Katie Kirkpatrick Choate.
Afterward, with drinks and canapes, a very intimate crowd gathered to visit with the now retired seven-time All-Star forward, who helped the Chicago Bulls win six NBA championships.
It was so intimate, Pippen fielded questions like, "How'd it feel to win an Olympic gold medal?" and answered them candidly, honestly.
"It was pretty cool, but I think winning the championships [was more meaningful]. Gold medals don't have any longevity. You win a gold medal, you come back home, it's over. They don't celebrate the Dream Team [because] there's no destination [for that victory] ... whereas winning the championship for a city, it never stops, you know? They remember you forever. The [Chicago] Bears won one championship in '85 ... Dan Hampton's still living off that championship. If Dan had a gold medal, he wouldn't be, you know what I'm saying? There's no home for a gold medal. You got a home for a championship.
"But no, I don't knock my gold medal. My job wasn't winning gold medals. I made money off winning championships."
He was asked about the prospect that his career points total -- 18,940 -- could be surpassed this year by another Arkansan, Joe Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets (who's at 18,326 and had more than 1,100 last year).
"That was never a record I was trying to achieve," Pippen said. "If he catches my rings then I'll feel bad."
-- Photos and story by Bobby Ampezzan
High Profile on 09/13/2015