When you walk into a sports bar and the 90s Bulls come up, the conversation usually starts and ends with Michael Jordan. But if you're looking for the heartbeat of that dynasty, you’ve gotta look at the guy wearing number 33. People always ask: how many rings do Scottie Pippen have?
The short answer? Six.
But saying he "has six rings" is like saying a Ferrari "has four wheels." It's true, but it doesn't tell you anything about how the car actually drives. Scottie Pippen didn't just tag along for a ride; he was the engine. He won all six of those NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls during two separate "three-peats" in the 1990s.
The Golden Years: 1991 to 1998
To understand the weight of those six rings, you have to look at the timeline. Pippen and Jordan are basically the only two guys who were there for every single minute of the Bulls' championship glory.
The first run happened from 1991 to 1993. Before 1991, the Bulls were known as a "one-man show" that couldn't get past the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons. Once Scottie evolved into a point-forward hybrid, everything changed. They took down the Lakers in '91, the Blazers in '92, and the Suns in '93.
Then came the hiatus. Jordan went to play baseball, and honestly, Pippen proved he was a superstar in his own right, leading the Bulls to 55 wins without MJ. But the rings? Those paused until Michael came back.
The second three-peat—1996, 1997, and 1998—is where the legend was cemented. This was the era of the 72-10 season. Pippen was the defensive anchor, the secondary playmaker, and the guy who took the toughest defensive assignment every single night so Jordan could focus on scoring 30.
Breaking Down the Six Championships
If you want to get specific about the years Scottie Pippen earned his hardware, here is the breakdown of his Finals victories:
- 1991: Defeated Los Angeles Lakers (4-1)
- 1992: Defeated Portland Trail Blazers (4-2)
- 1993: Defeated Phoenix Suns (4-2)
- 1996: Defeated Seattle SuperSonics (4-2)
- 1997: Defeated Utah Jazz (4-2)
- 1998: Defeated Utah Jazz (4-2)
Six trips to the Finals. Six wins. Zero losses. That's a perfect record that very few players in the history of the game can claim.
More Than Just NBA Hardware
While we focus on the how many rings do Scottie Pippen have question regarding the NBA, his jewelry collection is actually much bigger. If you count major championships at the highest level of basketball, Scottie is one of the most decorated humans to ever touch a Spalding.
He has two Olympic Gold Medals. He was a cornerstone of the 1992 "Dream Team" in Barcelona—which many consider the greatest team ever assembled—and he grabbed another gold in 1996 in Atlanta. Pippen is actually the only player in history to win an NBA title and an Olympic Gold Medal in the same year twice (1992 and 1996).
Think about that. In two different years, he was the champion of the professional world and the entire planet.
Why the Number Six Matters
There’s a lot of debate lately, especially after The Last Dance documentary, about Pippen’s legacy. Some people try to diminish his six rings because he played with Jordan. But the reality is that Jordan didn't win a single playoff series before Pippen arrived.
Pippen provided the versatility. At 6'8" with a wingspan that seemed to cover the entire court, he could guard point guards and power forwards. In the 1991 Finals, it was Pippen's move to guard Magic Johnson that flipped the series on its head.
He finished his career with:
- 6 NBA Championships
- 7 All-Star appearances
- 8 NBA All-Defensive First Team selections
- 3 All-NBA First Team selections
Life After the Bulls
After the "Last Dance" season in 1998, the Bulls dynasty was dismantled. Scottie went to the Houston Rockets to join Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, but the chemistry was... let's just say "not great."
He then spent four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he almost added a seventh ring. In 2000, the Blazers were up double digits in the 4th quarter of Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals against the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. If they held that lead, Pippen likely would have won another championship. Instead, the Lakers surged, and Pippen’s ring count stayed at six.
He eventually returned to Chicago for a final swan song in 2003, but by then, the knees were gone and the magic had faded.
The Misconceptions
One thing people get wrong is thinking Pippen was just a "sidekick." In the 1994 season—the year Jordan was gone—Pippen finished third in MVP voting. He led the Bulls in scoring, assists, and steals. He was the All-Star Game MVP.
He proved he could be "The Guy." He just chose to be the perfect teammate because that's what won championships. When you ask how many rings do Scottie Pippen have, you aren't just counting trophies. You're counting the results of a player who sacrificed individual stats for the ultimate team success.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see Pippen's impact beyond the box score, go back and watch the full broadcast of Game 6 of the 1998 Finals. While Jordan hit "The Shot," look at Pippen playing through a catastrophic back injury just to be a decoy and defensive presence. It's the ultimate testament to why he has those six rings. You can also compare his defensive stats to modern-day "stoppers" to see just how far ahead of his time he really was.