If Scottie Pippen is to be believed that Bulls and Phil Jackson in the middle of a critical playoff series decided this was the time to make Toni Kukoc a star for racial reasons.
I can’t get with Scottie on that one.
Granted if Michael Jordan was on the team he would have gotten the last shot, but Pippen isn’t Michael Jordan.
According to GQ though he believes it was a racial component to the decision.
Going back to those nineties games, you took yourself out of the Knicks 1994 playoff game with 1.8 seconds left. What actually happened? Why’d you refuse to go in the game?
I don’t think it’s a mystery, you need to read between the fine lines. It was my first year playing without Michael Jordan, why wouldn’t I be taking that last shot? I been through all the ups and downs, the battles with the Pistons and now you gonna insult me and tell me to take it out? I thought it was a pretty low blow. I felt like it was an opportunity to give [Kukoc] a rise. It was a racial move to give him a rise. After all I’ve been through with this organization, now you’re gonna tell me to take the ball out and throw it to Toni Kukoc? You’re insulting me. That’s how I felt.
You talking about Phil Jackson?
Yeah. Go back and look at it and you can see it. It was my team. Why are you telling me to take the ball out on a game-tying shot. It wasn’t even a game-winning shot. Why are you trying to let him be the hero? He ain’t the leader of this team. No. You trying to make him a hero to hit that shot. If he misses, he playing wit’ house money. He playing what I done earned here. Okay? I have been earning this for Michael Jordan for years and he gets the last shot. And I’m supposed to step inside and let Kukoc get in there? [Scoffs.] Do you understand English? Oh. Okay. Exactly.
I always wondered what Jordan have done if he was in that situation?
My theory is that he wouldn’t have sat on the bench, but he would have somehow found a way to get the ball.
Oh, by the way, Kukoc made the shot.
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