James' agent Rich Paul: Without Pippen, Jordan's Finals record would be 0-6

On May 31, former NBA star Scottie Pippen is widely recognized as one of the finest two-way players in NBA history, yet Rich Paul, the high-profile agent, argues that the contributions of Jordan's old partner have been consistently overlooked.

Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James and many other NBA stars, stated bluntly on his podcast: Without Pippen, Jordan wouldn't have won a single championship.

"In my view, Scottie's championship value is equal to Michael Jordan's. He was the most impactful player on the team! If you remove Scottie Pippen from that squad, Jordan's Finals record would be zero wins and six losses!" Rich Paul said. "Even replacing him with another All-Star wouldn't replicate what Pippen brought. This 6-foot-9 player was elite on both ends, with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and he could also initiate the offense. Back then, the Bulls had three players on the All-Defensive Team."

Pippen was a seven-time All-Star, selected to multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive teams—a superstar in his own right. Jordan was undoubtedly the core of the team, but Pippen was equally crucial to the Bulls' dynasty in the 1990s.

While it's an overstatement to say Jordan could never have won a title, it's certain that without Pippen, he would never have achieved the legendary success he did.

After retirement, the relationship between Jordan and Pippen grew distant and even soured, and the tension between them remains a frequent topic among fans. Jordan's son Marcus once dated Pippen's ex-wife Larsa, sparking even more controversy.