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20 greatest defensive small forwards ever: The HoopsHype list
Feb 26, 2025
Michael Jordan's favorite wingman Scottie Pippen leads the small forwards ranking. Check the full list down below:
Top defensive accolades: 10 All-Defensive Team selections, one-time NBA steals leader, nine years receiving Defensive Player of the Year votes
The greatest wing defender in NBA history, at least according to us, six-time NBA championScottie Pippen is one of the most impactful players of all time because without him, would there even have been a Chicago Bulls dynasty in the ‘90s to speak of?
Pippen finished with All-Defensive Team honors 10 times in his career, the second-most for a non-big man ever. He was a 1st Team All-Defender eight times, likewise the second-most ever for a non-big. Like Duncan, Pippen never won Defensive Player of the Year but he did finish second in the vote twice, back-to-back years in ‘95 and ‘96.
To this day, Pippen ranks eighth all-time in career steals at2,307, no surprise considering his elite lateral athleticism and outstanding size (6-foot-8) and length (he had a reported 7-foot-3 wingspan), as well as his effort on that end of the floor.
All in all, with those physical gifts, Pippen would have thrived in any era as a defender, including in today’s high-scoring NBA.
Top defensive accolades: Two Defensive Player of the Year awards, seven All-Defensive Team selections, one time NBA steals leader, six years receiving Defensive Player of the Year votes
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