CALLED OUT

Bulls Legend Scottie Pippen Calls Former Coach Phil Jackson Racist

Pippen claims Jackson’s decision to give a rookie player the last shot in a 1994 playoff game a “racial move.”

Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen accused former coach Phil Jackson of being racist in an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show on Monday. The comments were in reference to the last play of a 1994 NBA game in which Pippen and the Bulls faced off against the New York Knicks. Pippen was upset that Jackson designed the final play with Bulls rookie Toni Kukoč instead of him, and he opted to stay on the bench for the rest of the game in protest. Kukoč ultimately made the game-winning shot.

On Monday, Dan Patrick asked Pippen to clarify comments he made in a GQ interview in which he said Jackson’s decision was a “racial move.” “Why would Toni, who’s a rookie, get the last-second shot and you put me out of bounds? That’s what I mean racial,” Pippen said. When Patrick asked Pippen if he was calling Jackson a racist, Pippen responded, “oh yeah.” Pippen was recently called out by NBA star Kevin Durant on Twitter for his actions in that 1994 playoff game, CBS Sports reported.