Bulls to honor Pippen

[James Rondon]

Bulls to honor Pippen[/size]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer
December 5, 2005

CHICAGO (AP) -- Scottie Pippen knows that Friday night will be an emotional one for him.

The Chicago Bulls will retire his number 33 at halftime of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers, adding to a long list of accolades.

"It's hard to put it in perspective right now," Pippen told reporters before Monday's game between the Bulls and Dallas Mavericks. "I'm starting to feel a little emotional about what's going to happen Friday night. Getting your number put in the rafters is always something that as a kid ... you dream of seeing happen to you."

Pippen, who spent 12 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Bulls, has an impressive list of accomplishments.

He and Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s. A seven-time All-Star, Pippen was chosen as one of the NBA's 50 greatest players in 1996 and was on two teams that won Olympic gold medals.

Pippen scored 18,940 points during a career that included stints with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, and he ranks fifth on the NBA's all-time steals list with 2,307.

He is the Bulls' leader in 3-pointers made (664) and attempted (2,031), and is second in points (15,123), field goals (5,991), field goal attempts (12,444), free throw attempts (3,576), offensive rebounds (1,687), defensive rebounds (4,039), assists (4,494), steals (1,792), seasons (12), games (856) and minutes (30,269).

Pippen's number will join Jordan's 23, Bob Love's 10 and Jerry Sloan's 4 in the rafters. The Bulls have also honored Phil Jackson and Jerry Krause, the coach and general manager during the championship years.

Jackson will be there Friday, coaching the Lakers. Jordan is expected, too.

"It's going to be great," Pippen said. "A lot of the players are coming. I wasn't here when they put (Jackson) up in the rafters. But to have him here as my number goes up, it brings back a lot of great memories."

[James Rondon]