Champion Creed
Chapter 43 - 43 030 Through tireless efforts Pippen successfully helped Roger establish credibility

43: 030: Through tireless efforts, Pippen successfully helped Roger establish credibility.

43: 030: Through tireless efforts, Pippen successfully helped Roger establish credibility.

Pippen had intended to imitate Jordan and make a show on the first day of the new season’s training camp, killing the chicken to warn the monkey.

This was something that Jordan did every year before the new season.

The list of his victims could go around the Berto Center, and Pippen himself was once one of them.

Every first day of the season, Jordan would use this method to let the whole team know: This is my turf, if you have an issue come at me, and the loser shuts up.

That was how he controlled the team.

Pippen thought he could do the same, but before everyone’s eyes, he let a high schooler score an incredibly brilliant shot.

At that moment, Kukoc inappropriately shouted, “Well done, Roger!”

Pippen turned his head and glared fiercely at Kukoc, who instantly hid behind Cartwright.

Embarrassed by the two rookies he disliked the most, Pippen angrily picked up the basketball: “Not bad, rookie, but now I’m going to play seriously.”

Roger took the ball, and this time, Pippen was instantly sticking close to him.

The best way to deal with a high schooler is to go physical with them, they get confused once you do that.

Indeed, Roger admitted that Pippen’s confrontation put a lot of pressure on him.

Even if Roger worked hard to increase his weight, he wouldn’t be able to bulldoze his way through in his first year entering the NBA.

But Roger was never a player who relied on physicality to play; he dribbled back a step to create space for a sprint.

Pippen continued to press, his center of gravity recklessly forward.

So when Roger suddenly changed direction to the left, Pippen couldn’t block in time.

Since the end of last season’s finals when Pippen won his third ring up to now, he hadn’t had any regular training.

The only part of his body he exercised during these months was his long legs.

As a result, Pippen’s physical functions hadn’t recovered yet, his bones creaking as if rusted.

On the contrary, Roger had never slacked off in his training, his body was already in a competitive state early on.

The result on the court was that his speed was completely different from Pippen’s.

For Pippen to still attempt an aggressive defense under these circumstances was simply masochism.

This premier perimeter stopper thought he could easily crush a high school player, so he lunged too casually.

He was wildly mistaken.

Seeing Roger about to slip by his side, Pippen hurried to poke at the ball, this time timing his poke precisely.

But with a fend from his guiding hand, Roger brushed past Pippen.

At 90 kilograms, Roger couldn’t bulldoze his way through, but he wouldn’t be stopped just by being pressed.

After successfully breaking through Pippen’s defense, Roger dunked with one hand.

The basketball hoop made a loud “boom,” followed by silence.

The Berto Center’s training court had never been so quiet.

You can imagine the atmosphere, the core of the team eager to establish dominance, picking the youngest guy for one-on-one, only to have the kid score twice on him, one a slam dunk.

So, was he here to establish dominance or to be the clown?

Should the others cheer or pretend they saw nothing?

Phil Jackson, with his arms crossed at courtside, could barely believe his eyes; he turned his head to his assistant coach, the founder of the triangle offense, Tex Winter: “Is this kid really 18?”

But Winter was unfazed: “You and I can see, standing here is at best a 50% Pippen.”

“But that’s Scottie Pippen!

If Roger can score like that over the head of a 50% Pippen then he can do it over the heads of 80% of defenders in this league!

Moreover, this is his first time coming up against professional players!”

Winter didn’t respond because the third round had started.

Pippen acknowledged he had never expected the high school rookie to be so strong.

His ball-handling was as he pleased, his athletic ability was good too.

Defending him, there couldn’t be a hint of luck involved.

He had to treat him as a real NBA player now!

In the third round, Pippen, with his mindset adjusted, maintained a proper defensive distance and focused his gaze.

This was the first time in four months that Pippen had played so seriously.

Roger dribbled, faked, and accelerated, with Pippen moving perfectly, never out of position.

His footwork was like a hound, relentlessly following Roger.

A fadeaway shot?

A step-back jumper?

Under NBA-level defense, these weren’t the scoring methods Roger excelled at.

Roger forced his way to near the baseline, but Pippen stood firm on Roger’s inside, keeping him away from the basket.

He pushed Roger into a narrow corner, making him look like a trapped beast.

Roger had to stop abruptly, making a half-turn fake, and then turned around for a jump shot.

But Pippen wasn’t fooled by the shake; the half-turn fake was utterly useless against him.

You may question Pippen’s offense as not being top-notch, but his defense, you can only praise.

When Roger jumped up, the basketball was smothered by Pippen’s long arm and large hand.

Attempting to shoot in that situation, even if it wasn’t blocked, there was no way to find the target.

Winter shrugged, “This will be a ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment.”

Even the Zen Master thought Roger’s offense had already failed.

However, Roger, who realized he was completely smothered by Pippen after turning to jump, drew the ball back in, slipped his arm under Pippen’s armpit, and scooped a low shot!

Phil Jackson had seen many outrageous moves, after all, Michael Jordan was simply a machine for creating outrageous moves.

Yet, what Roger did was something even Jordan hadn’t done.

Most importantly, Roger’s illogical scoop shot actually allowed the basketball to obediently kiss the board and swish through the net!

Roger breathed a sigh of relief, Pippen was indeed Jordan’s strongest partner.

If Roger had been just a regular player, he would have been completely locked down by Pippen just now.

But fortunately, he possessed the scoop shot as his ace in the hole.

The ball went in again, 3 to 0.

Phil Jackson had watched Roger’s highlights before and had seen Roger scoff at the opposition’s defense with amazing long-range scoop shots.

But he thought such outlandish scoop shots came about because Roger’s opponents were just high schoolers.

But that last shot made the Zen Master realize how truly unique Roger’s scoop shot was.

Could he be the next Iceman?

You know, the kid really doesn’t sweat much like the Iceman.

The “Welcome to the NBA” moment didn’t materialize, and Old Winter’s attitude underwent a 180-degree turn: “Damn, this kid’s a one-on-one genius!”

On the court, Pippen’s morale had deflated like a leaky girlfriend, completely flattened.

After the parking lot incident, Pippen suffered another blow on the basketball court at the hands of a rookie.

Suppressed twice by a newcomer in one day!

Roger even intentionally asked lightly, “You said it would be difficult for me to score 2 points here, but I’ve already got 6.

So, are you still up for it, Scott?”

Pippen was in a dilemma, what could he do, admit defeat in front of all these people?

But if he continued to play, he was really afraid he would lose face completely.

Thank heavens, the Zen Master saved him.

“Playtime is over, sports boys, we don’t have time to waste on street showboating.

Come on, everyone, get back to training!” Phil Jackson clapped his hands and shouted.

The Zen Master didn’t want chaos in the team’s locker room next season either.

Pippen was the sole leader, and if he lost to a rookie, who would follow his lead?

Pippen quickly took the easy way out, “You did well, rookie.

But it’s clear to everyone, I was just messing around with you.

Don’t get cocky, train seriously, OK?”

Pippen walked off the court, and Kukoc ran up excitedly to hug Roger’s shoulder, “Incredible, mate!

You just taught Scott a lesson!”

Roger waved him off, “I wouldn’t say a lesson; he’s strong, he almost had me there.

That was a close one.”

Kukoc: ???

Buddy, we’re both rookies, so why am I just new, and you’re so showy?

At that moment, Kukoc really felt sorry for Roger’s opponents from the past season.

As high schoolers, they had to contend with such a monster.

The first day of training eventually ended calmly, and under Pippen’s careful orchestration, Roger successfully established some prestige among the Bulls.

After the one-on-one, the veterans basically stopped teasing Roger.

Even if they couldn’t help but want to mess with a rookie, they would pick on Kukoc instead.

With such a carefully planned one-on-one to help Roger integrate into the locker room, Pippen, as the second in command, really made Roger want to cry.

Although Pippen pretended he was just messing around with Roger just now, everyone knew the real score.

After training and during his shower, Cartwright started chatting with the old guard John Paxson, “I’m starting to understand why they paid such a big price to get Roger.

That kid is incredible; he’s worth the fourth pick and that big contract.”

Paxson smiled, “He’s more than incredible, he was up against Scott.

There’s no one else on the team that could score like that against Scott.

Poor Scott, we all know he wanted to prove he’s a leader.

But…

my God, I love Scott, but that one-on-one was really embarrassing.

Thankfully, Phil intervened.”

“Come to think of it, if Michael were here, none of this would have happened today.

The kid was right, Scott isn’t MJ.

He tried to prove something but ended up outsmarting himself.”

Pippen, who just happened to walk to the door of the shower, heard the entire conversation and silently turned away.

During the media time afterward, the Zen Master spent a great deal of time praising Roger:

“I know you all have doubts whether Roger can adapt to the NBA, but don’t forget, Roger has repeatedly stood firm in the face of the failures you’ve predicted for him.

He can do the same thing this time.”

“He possesses a complete set of one-on-one skills; we’ve even begun planning isolation plays for him, believe it or not,”

“Many people compare us to a train about to enter a dark tunnel, but with outstanding new players like Roger and Kukoc, we should be able to emerge from the darkness quickly.”

The Zen Master spoke eloquently, leaving Pippen aside.

Combined with Cartwright and Paxson’s conversation, Pippen realized…

nobody really saw him as the star of the Bulls!

Jordan didn’t retire for this!

If I wasn’t the main man while Jordan was here, and I’m still not the main man after he retired, then Jordan’s retirement was in vain, wasn’t it!?

Pippen clenched his teeth in frustration; since the strategy of proving himself through one-on-ones didn’t work, he’d have to find a tougher way!

There must be a way to successfully establish his authority!

Michael was right; in this world, there are no veterans who get bluffed by rookies!

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