It’s Over: Take A Seat, Scottie

In keeping with the annual tradition of a great player past their prime wanting to relieve the “stresses” of retirement, Scottie Pippen has declared that he would like to return to the NBA. The 41 year old Pippen believes that he still has the ability to assist a play-off caliber team, as he has been training throughout the winter in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He is hoping to strike some sort of deal this weekend at the annual NBA All-Star game, which is being held in Las Vegas this year. Taking any player past their prime and especially those past the twilight of their career is risky business, especially if the team has to depend on them. Pippen last played in the NBA in 2003-2004, averaging 5 points and 3 rebounds a game.

Pippen is one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all-time and being a Chicago Bulls fan, I would have to concur he was once a phenomenal player. I would hope that he learned his lesson from former teammate Michael Jordan that making a comeback in you’re forties is not exactly a logical decision. Not to downplay the role that Pippen played while apart of those great Bull teams, but Pippen is not exactly a basketball god when Jordan is not by his side. Many of his stats declined monumentally after Jordan retired after the 97-98’ season. His most prolific and most known role will always be that of Michael Jordan’s side-kick whether he likes it or not.

Pippen may not have been a scoring god like Jordan, but his tough defense was renowned across the league. But is there a chance that a 41 year old man can keep up with a mid twenties man like Dwayne Wade? There comes a time and point in all of our lives when we are unable to compete in a sport at a level that we once played at; it is called aging. An individual can still be in monumental shape in their 40’s, but a 20 year old in monumental shape has the upper hand. Plus, there is the humiliation factor that Scottie needs to worry about. I am not saying if he were to comeback he would drag ass all over the floor. But it would be in the interest of his legacy not to comeback; he has nothing more to prove.