Scottie Pippen is a respected Hall of Famer who was a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, where he partnered with Michael Jordan to become a formidable duo in the court. Pippen featured in eight consecutive NBA All-defensive first teams and was also a seven-time NBA All-Star who won the NBA All-Star game MVP in 1994. As a true talent who helped in popularizing the NBA in the 1990s, Scottie Pippen earned his way into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Chicago Bull further honored him by retiring his #33 jersey on December 8, 2005, making him the fourth player in the team to have such privileges.
The Shift from Avia to Nike
After Scottie Pippen was drafted in 1987, he stepped into his first NBA game wearing low top Avia 855. Back then, Avia, an Oregon-based American shoe brand, had a presence in the NBA and several players opted for their sneakers. Pippen rocked these shoes from 1987 to 1991 before he finally made a permanent switch to Nike. Since then, Scottie Pippen, who wears shoe size 16, has been the face of some of Nike’s most popular sneakers besides having his own signature line. Some of the outstanding releases associated with the retired forward are:
Nike Air Pippen 5
The Nike Air Pippen 5 was built on a unique idea that defined the Air Morph series, where the goal was to have an interchangeable shell so one could switch it for a different sneaker. Unfortunately, it was a heavy shoe, and it never lived to the expectations that the series promised.
Nike Air Pippen 4
This was the fourth signature, and it had a silhouette that was completely different from the Pippen 3. They were not only lighter but had a unique upper complete with Zoom Air cushioning and max Air unit installed in the heel. It was designed by Aaron Copper and released in 2001.
Nike Air Pippen 3
The Pippen 3 did not disappoint, and it features full-length herringbone traction, a neoprene interior bootie, a phylon midsole, and premium leather.
Nike Air Pippen 2
Nike Air Pippen 2 was quickly released in 1998, and they built on the original features of the Nike Air Pippen 1. These shoes were a sleeker model and were a beastly performer in the courts.
Nike Air Pippen 1
This was the first official signature shoe that Nike released under the Pippen line and features full-length Uptempo Air and has great aesthetic details. They instantly became famous and rivaled the 1997 Jordan shoes in popularity.
Nike Air More Uptempo
The Nike Air More Uptempo was famous for its unusual design as it had a bulky look and made a statement with the striking way ‘AIR’ was written on its upper. Scottie Pippen is famous for wearing these shoes on his way to the 1996 Olympic gold medal, fourth NBA title, and sixth All-Star game.
Nike Air Flight Huarache
Another revolutionary shoe that Scottie Pippen wore was the Nike Air Flight Huarache that was designed based on the Air Huarache running shoe. It was adjusted for basketball needs and featured a leather exoskeleton plus a neoprene inner sleeve.