NEW YORK, NY.- On 23 June 1987, Scottie Pippen was selected fifth overall in the NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics before being traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls. Arriving in Chicago as a raw but versatile forward out of Central Arkansas, Pippen quickly developed into a foundational piece of the Bulls’ ascent. By the 1990–91 season, Pippen had emerged as one of the league’s premier two-way players, helping lead the Bulls to their first NBA Championship and beginning a dynasty that would define an era. Renowned for his defensive brilliance, playmaking ability, and basketball IQ, Pippen was instrumental in guiding Chicago to six NBA titles over eight seasons, cementing his place as one of the most complete players the game has ever seen.
Over the course of his seventeen-year NBA career, Pippen achieved a level of sustained excellence and championship success matched by few in league history. A six-time NBA Champion, seven-time NBA All-Star, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, he ranks among the NBA’s all-time leaders in steals and remains one of only a select handful of players to record over 20,000 points, 7,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists. Pippen is also a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, honored both individually and as a member of the iconic U.S. Olympic “Dream Team.”
Over the course of more than three decades, Scottie Pippen has been the careful custodian of a remarkable collection of historic mementos from his extraordinary career and has now made the decision to pass a selection on to a new generation of collectors. This March, Sotheby’s will present The Scottie Pippen Collection, offering an unprecedented selection of championship jerseys, game-worn footwear, and memorabilia tied to some of the most iconic moments in both Pippen’s career and the broader history of basketball. From his earliest days in the game to milestones spanning the legendary 1992 U.S. Olympic “Dream Team” and the Chicago Bulls’ sixth championship run in 1998, the collection chronicles one of the most decorated and influential careers in the history of sport.
Estimated to achieve in excess of $6 million, the more than 50-piece collection will be open for bidding from March 2–10 and will be on public view concurrently at the historic Breuer building in New York, Sotheby’s new global headquarters at 945 Madison Avenue.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have a career filled with unforgettable moments, from winning six championships with the Bulls to being part of the ’92 Dream Team and competing at the highest level with some of the greatest players to grace the court. Each jersey, sneaker, and collectible I’ve kept over the years holds a memory, a feeling, a story of perseverance and teamwork. Now, it feels like the right time to share these pieces and let others carry their stories forward. I’m excited to give fans and collectors the chance to own these special items, to connect with the history and memories they represent, and to experience a part of the journey I was lucky enough to live. I hope they bring the same pride, joy, and love of the game that they’ve given me throughout my career.” --SCOTTIE PIPPEN
“This collection is a 1990s time capsule, capturing the imagination of collectors through the nostalgia it evokes. Spanning everything from the 1992 Olympic Dream Team to the legendary Flu Game, and even including Scottie on the cover of Wheaties boxes, experiencing the collection feels like stepping back into the golden age of basketball. Yet this is not a greatest-hits retrospective, but a self-portrait – told through objects – of how one of basketball’s defining figures understands his life and impact.” -- BRAHM WACHTER Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables
Inside the Collection
1996, 1997, 1998 NBA FINALS AND THE LAST DANCE
The sale is anchored by some of the most recognizable and emotionally resonant garments in basketball history, beginning with the final championship run of the Chicago Bulls dynasty. At its pinnacle stands Scottie Pippen’s 1998 NBA Finals championship clinching jersey, worn during the closing act of what has come to be known as ‘The Last Dance.’ This red Away jersey, worn during Games 1 and 6 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, is a physical witness to the final moments of the greatest dynasty the sport has ever known, a season defined by tension, resolve, and the weight of finality. That season underscored Pippen’s leadership, versatility, and defensive excellence, as he returned from injury to help lead the Bulls to their sixth championship in eight years. ESTIMATE $250,000-300,000
Reflecting back on the 1998 Finals, Pippen says: “It was a very special season. It was emotional for me because I truly felt like I was going to be a Chicago Bull forever. At the same time, the writing was on the wall—we knew it was probably going to be our last season together. We were competitors. We wanted to challenge Jerry Krause and win another championship. We wanted to go out with a bang and put pressure on the organization. It was the ending of a dynasty, and it was important for us to enjoy the season, enjoy each other, and enjoy the city of Chicago. Physically, it wasn’t easy for me. I was playing with two herniated discs in my back. There were moments when I wanted to quit. But I found a way to push through, to be there, and to win. I spent 11 seasons in Chicago, and we finished it with a championship. That meant everything.”
Also featured are jerseys from the surrounding Finals that helped define that legendary stretch. Pippen’s 1997 NBA Finals jersey , worn during the iconic ‘Flu Game,’ represents one of the most mythologized nights in sports history, when championship resolve eclipsed physical limitation. With Michael Jordan battling illness, Pippen rose to the occasion, controlling the pace, drawing fouls, and setting up the decisive basket that secured the Bulls’ victory. His performance that night, during Game 5 of the series, where he recorded 17 points, a team-high 10 rebounds, a team-high five assists, and one steal, showcased Pippen’s ability to excel under pressure and reinforced his legacy as one of the most dominant players of his generation. ESTIMATE $300,000-500,000
Alongside it is a 1996 NBA Finals championship-clinching white home jersey, worn across an extraordinary ten playoff games during the 1995–96 season, including three NBA Finals contests, as well as one regular-season game. Worn throughout Chicago’s legendary postseason run, during which the Bulls went a perfect 10–0 on their home court, the jersey represents the championship that crowned a then record-setting 72–10 regular season (ESTIMATE $200,000-250,000). Together, these jerseys trace the emotional arc of dominance, resilience, and final triumph that defined the Bulls’ closing years.
FOUNDATIONS, ASCENSION, AND LEADERSHIP
The collection also traces Scottie Pippen’s full arc of development, from his earliest days in the game through his emergence as the unquestioned leader of the Chicago Bulls. Anchoring this chapter is a game-worn jersey from the 1992 NBA Finals, worn at the height of the Bulls’ second championship run. This jersey represents the moment when Pippen had fully arrived as a co-driving force behind a championship team, performing on the league’s grandest stage while helping secure the franchise’s place at the top of the NBA hierarchy. The jersey has been photomatched to 13 games, including 3 NBA Finals Games and Eastern Conference Finals Clinching Game. ESTIMATE $50,000-70,000
Reaching further back, the sale includes a jersey from Pippen’s time at the University of Central Arkansas, a rare and deeply meaningful artifact from the beginning of his basketball journey. Long before superstardom, endorsements, or championships, this jersey reflects the unlikely origins of one of the game’s greatest players. It stands as a powerful reminder of Pippen’s rise from a small program to the global spotlight, and underscores the remarkable trajectory that followed. ESTIMATE $40,000-60,000
The narrative then moves forward to one of the most pivotal seasons of Pippen’s career, the 1994 to 1995 campaign. Represented by a game-worn jersey from that season, this piece captures the moment when Pippen became the unquestioned leader of the Bulls. With Michael Jordan absent for most of the year and still regaining form upon his return, Pippen carried the franchise on both ends of the floor. He led Chicago to the playoffs and into the Eastern Conference Semifinals, affirming his status as one of the league’s elite superstars and proving the Bulls could contend under his leadership. This jersey embodies a defining chapter in Pippen’s legacy, when responsibility, performance, and leadership converged at the highest level. ESTIMATE $30,000-50,000.
STEPPING ONTO THE WORLD STAGE: THE DREAM TEAM
A true highlight of the collection is a group of some of the most historically significant Team USA garments ever offered, which Scottie considers among the most important experiences of his career and life. For him, it marked a turning point when basketball truly moved onto the world stage — inspiring a generation of international players and helping reshape the NBA into a global league. The objects tied to that moment reflect not just personal achievement, but a shift in the sport’s history. As the ultimate two- way player, he provided defensive versatility and unselfish play that allowed a roster filled with legends to function seamlessly. These garments are not simply Olympic memorabilia, but symbols of basketball’s expansion into a truly global game, with Pippen standing at the center of that evolution.
The sale includes Scottie Pippen’s 1992 Dream Team gold medal- clinching jersey (ESTIMATE $60,000-80,000) and the Team USA jacket worn when he was awarded the medal, two extraordinary artifacts from the team that changed basketball forever. Emblazoned with “USA” across the chest and adorned with stars and stripes down the sleeves, the jacket is inseparable from one of the most enduring images in Olympic history (ESTIMATE $100,000-200,000). Unlike game-worn apparel, medal ceremony garments occupy a far rarer and more symbolic space, worn only once at the precise moment when victory is sealed and history is formally recognized.
Among the most extraordinary and intimate artifacts in the collection is a pair of pair of Air Jordan VII sneakers worn by Michael Jordan during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, given directly to Pippen by Michael Jordan following the Gold Medal game. Worn on basketball’s grandest international stage and given directly by Jordan to Pippen in the locker room following the gold medal victory on August 8, 1992, the sneakers stand as a deeply personal artifact linking two pillars of the Bulls dynasty. ESTIMATE $1.5-2.5 MILLION
ALL-STAR JERSEYS AND CULTURAL IMPACT
The sale also features a complete chronological arc of Scottie Pippen’s All- Star career, offering a visual history of both his individual excellence and the NBA’s evolving cultural identity during the 1990s. Included are Pippen’s All- Star game debut jersey from 1990 and his final All-Star appearance jersey from 1997, framing a career spent among the league’s elite (ESTIMATE $50,000-70,000 AND $50,000-70,000 RESPECTIVELY). At the heart of this group is his 1994 All-Star Game MVP jersey, commemorating a moment when Pippen stood as the defining star of the league during a season of transition. ESTIMATE $50,000-70,000
TROPHIES AND THE ULTIMATE MEASURE OF LEGACY
Complementing the historic jerseys are some of the rarest and most consequential trophies ever to appear at auction, objects that represent the ultimate validation of greatness. Foremost among them is a complete set of six replica Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophies awarded to Scottie Pippen for each of his championships with the Chicago Bulls. Crafted in sterling silver with gold overlay, this one-of-one set has never before been offered publicly and stands as a singular monument to sustained excellence. ESTIMATE $200,000-400,000
Also included is Scottie Pippen’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame trophy, presented during his induction ceremony as a member of the Class of 2010 (ESTIMATE $10,000-15,000) and his 1994 NBA All-Star MVP trophy (ESTIMATE $30,000-50,000). Unlike game-worn apparel, these objects are not symbolic representations of achievement but the definitive honors themselves. Together, they elevate the sale beyond memorabilia and into the realm of historical artifacts, offering an unprecedented opportunity to acquire the physical embodiments of one of the greatest careers in basketball history.
