If Scottie Pippen is your all-time NBA favorite, it may shock you that his net worth isn’t as huge as it used to be. Not only was he nicknamed the most underpaid NBA player in history, but he also had several financial setbacks that affected his fortune significantly.
After diving into his early life, education, career, financial details, and post-retirement struggles, let’s uncover Scottie Pippen’s net worth.
Early Life, Education, and Career
Scottie Pippen was born in 1965 in Hamburg, Arkansas, into Ethel and Preston Pippen’s ever-growing family. He had 11 siblings, of whom he was the tallest (towering at 6’1″ by his first year in college!)
But it wasn’t just his height that propelled him to pursue a professional basketball career. His talent manifested in high school, leading the Hamburg High School basketball team to the state playoffs.
Unfortunately, though, Pippen didn’t get any college scholarships after graduation. So, he attended the University of Central Arkansas and played for its basketball team. Later, he was selected by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1987 NBA Draft.
But the Chicago Bulls were more interested in him, so they traded with the Supersonics to acquire him the same night!
He signed a four-year rookie contract with the Bulls for $2.83 million, then renewed it in 1991 for $18 million as a seven-year extension. At the same time, Michael Jordan earned up to $30 million per season, a far cry from Pippen’s $2.6-million-per-year salary.
Now you understand why he’d been called the most underpaid player in the history of the NBA! But that claim isn’t entirely valid—not once you look at the numbers.
When I compared the total earnings of both players by the end of their time on the court, I was surprised to know that Pip’s were more. He amassed over $109 million in salaries throughout his NBA career, while Jordan pocketed $94 million.
NBA Achievements
Despite his relatively modest annual salaries, Scottie Pippen made an indelible mark on NBA history. Alongside Michael Jordan, he was part of the Chicago Bulls’ legendary duo, considered one of the most dynamic in NBA history.
His career stats speak volumes of his talent, hard work, and dedication to the sport. He received:
- Six NBA championships
- Seven times NBA All-Star
- Three times All-NBA First Team
- Eight times NBA All-defensive First Team
- NBA All-Star Game MVP (1994)
- NBA Steals Leader (1995)
- Made the list of 50 Greatest Players in NBA history (1996)
- Won gold medals at the Olympic Games (in 1992 and 1996)
Scottie Pippen’s Net Worth 2024
I get why you might believe that Scottie Pippen’s net worth is close to the $100 million mark in 2024, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to several trusted sources, Pippen is worth around $20 million.
But before we explore the financial issues that caused this drop, let’s first break down his earnings over his 17-year NBA career.
NBA Salary
Pippen’s NBA salary is the main contributor to his wealth. Below are the specifics of his contracts from his time with the Bulls to when he played with the Houston Rockets, the Portland TrailBlazers, and back to the Bulls:
Year and duration | Contract value | NBA team |
1987 (four years) | $2.83 million | Chicago Bulls |
1991 (seven-year extension) | $18 million | Chicago Bulls |
1999 (five years—but he only played for the time for one season) | $67.2 million initially, but he only got $11 million | Houston Rockets |
1999 (four years) | $66 million | Portland TrailBlazers |
2003 (two years) | $10 million | Chicago Bulls |
Endorsement Deals
While playing in the NBA, Scottie Pippen had endorsement deals with major brands. Such companies include Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Visa, Ameritech Cellular TV, and more.
But he’s always been one of the athletes we’ve associated with Nike. His link with the brand was solidified after the company released the Air Pippen 1 signature shoes in 1997.
Scottie Pippen’s Financial Issues
After retirement, Pippen’s financial life faced several problems that hurt the fortune he accumulated throughout his career.
The first was when he hired a fraudulent financial advisor, Robert Lunn, resulting in a devastating $20 million loss.
He committed bank fraud, urged Pippen to buy a private jet (which required too many repairs), and wasted more of his money through misplaced real estate investments.
Lunn even had the nerve to forge Pippen’s signature to pay for his debts!
Even though he was sentenced to three years in prison for his crimes, there was no way that Pippen could get his money back.
Another factor that affected Scottie Pippen’s net worth in 2024 is the hefty sums he had to pay for child support after divorcing Larsa Pippen. His ex-wife got spousal support and the money the former NBA star paid for the twins they had together.
Interestingly, after their divorce, Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa was reported to have dated Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan’s son, for over a year.
Scottie Pippen’s Real Estate
Scottie Pippen has bought and sold properties over the years, which makes sense because of his financial obstacles.
In 2004, he bought a home with his ex-wife Larsa in Highland Park for $2.225 million but had to sell it later for less than $2 million in 2021.
The athlete also used to own a mansion in South Florida. Again, he sold it for $16 million in 2010. He finally managed to sell it in 2021 for $10.54 million.
Scottie Pippen on Social Media
While he isn’t the most active of celebrities on social media, you can still keep up with his updates by following him on different platforms. He’s got quite the fan base on various networks:
Pip’s Instagram has the highest follower count, over 2.5 million. With more than 1,380 posts on the account, it’s the one that he’s most present on.
On X (previously Twitter), the NBA star only has 661.7K followers, and his last post was back in 2020. He’s doing better on Facebook, though, with over 1.1 million fans and thousands of likes on each post.
To Wrap It Up
Scottie Pippen’s net worth amounts to $20 million in 2024. It’s not a number you’d expect, given his career success, especially after adding up all the salaries he’s received playing in the NBA.
However, Pippen’s net worth suffered due to several financial mishaps.
I hope he fixes his financial situation by venturing into business or making well-placed, carefully planned investments.