Scottie Pippen says Michael Jordan was ‘determined’ to prove he was still larger than LeBron James by releasing ‘The Last Dance’

Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen is releasing a memoir this month, and many NBA fans are excited to get their hands on it.

GQ was able to obtain an excerpt from the book in which Pippen talks about Michael Jordan.

According to Pippen, Jordan’s goal with his documentary series “The Last Dance” was to “prove to the current generation of fans that he was larger-than-life” during his playing days and that he’s “still larger” than Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

“My years in Chicago, beginning as a rookie in the fall of 1987, were the most rewarding of my career: twelve men coming together as one, fulfilling the dreams we had as kids in playgrounds across the land when all we needed was a ball, a basket, and our imagination,” Pippen wrote. “To be a member of the Bulls during the 1990s was to be part of something magical. For our times and for all time.

“Except Michael was determined to prove to the current generation of fans that he was larger-than-life during his day—and still larger than LeBron James, the player many consider his equal, if not superior. So Michael presented his story, not the story of the ‘Last Dance,’ as our coach, Phil Jackson, billed the 1997–98 season once it became obvious the two Jerrys (owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause) were intent on breaking up the gang no matter what happened.”

Over the past year or so, Pippen has made it clear that he doesn’t appreciate the way he was portrayed in the documentary series. Clearly, that’s going to be a topic of discussion in his memoir.

Pippen finished his playing days with a long list of accomplishments. The Hall of Famer made seven All-Star teams and won six NBA titles.

He retired with career averages of 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. There’s no telling how many championships the Bulls would have won in the 1990s had it not been for Pippen’s contributions.