It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do what you’ve done your whole life” - When Scottie Pippen tooted his own horn and wanted to be the Chicago Bulls head coach
Scottie Pippen
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After having played most of his career for the Chicago Bulls, Scottie Pippen apparently thought of pursuing a different job with the franchise after his playing days. During the 2007-08 season, when Chicago was looking for a successor for the previously fired Scott Skiles, the former star threw his name in the hat. It isn't unclear how far his "application" went, but in an interview with Chicago Tribune, Pippen seemed to go on the defense regarding his lack of coaching experience.
"What's my disadvantage?" Pippen said. "No NBA coaching experience? Skiles' record with the Bulls wasn't that great. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do what you've done your whole life. I've played basketball, run teams, and won."
Running the Bulls
At the time of the interview, the six-time champion had been retired for roughly three years. Pippen's career was in limbo as he also expressed interest in making a comeback as a player to add more rings to his collection.
However, he preferred to transition to the sidelines because the opportunity to play didn't present itself.
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Perhaps he made a pitch to the Bulls front office and got rejected for his lack of experience as a coach. That is conceivably why he felt the need to prove his capability as a coach, possibly thinking that his role as the team's offensive fulcrum and playmaker during his prime playing years would translate to being a good coach.
Well, as it turned out, not every coach needs prior experience to find success in steering a team. Pippen's former teammate, Steve Kerr, comes to mind as an example of such a coach.
Would Pippen have made for a good coach?
The Hall of Famer's statement raises the question of whether he would have made a successful coach. In hindsight, he probably wasn't destined to run a team as a coach or executive. Otherwise, he would already have a stint or two as either, given how highly esteemed he had been with the later generations of basketball players.
Furthermore, only some players-turned-coach were able to find success. For instance, Isiah Thomas and Bob Cousy ended their coaching tenures with more losses than wins.
At least if Pippen ever became a coach, he would have known how to handle his stars who didn't want to follow his plays. The seven-time All-Star had some experience in that area.
