Inside Scottie Pippen’s Chicago Mansion With an Indoor Court
Scottie Pippen’s 11-season run with the Chicago Bulls in the late ’80s and ’90s, during which time the team racked up six NBA championships, may be long behind him, but this summer, fans could relive his glory days by watching the ESPN documentary The Last Dance. And in a new video for AD, the basketball legend opens the doors to the home he still maintains in the Windy City.
These days, Pippen mostly lives in Los Angeles, but calls his Chicago place, which he purchased in 2004 (the same year he retired from the NBA) “kind of a vacation house.” Indeed, the Mediterranean-inspired residence has quite a few amenities that would make it an enjoyable place for an escape.
In the backyard, Pippen shows off his pool (complete with a water slide), his grill, the outdoor television which ensures he never misses a basketball game, and even a putting green, where he practices chipping. He has to, he says, because he “plays with some pretty good golfers” including his former Bulls teammate and friend Michael Jordan. “I haven’t beat him. His stakes are a little too high for me.”
Of course, cold Chicago winters mean indoor activities are a must, and Pippen’s house features an amenity-laden basement complete with a wine cellar, movie theater (his favorite flick is Die Hard), a small gym area, a sauna, an air hockey table and vintage Mrs. Pac-Man game, and to top it all off, an indoor basketball court. Emblazoned on the floor is an image of Pippen’s red number 33 Bulls jersey, and the room is a favorite of his kids. “Basketball has been my life. My kids sort of follow my dream of wanting to be a professional basketball player one day, so this was an addition that we added on to the house. They are always in here hooping and playing at one, two in the morning, so I felt like this was a great investment,” Pippen says.
Upstairs, a plethora of awards are on display, including replicas of his NBA championship trophies, his 1994 All-Star MVP trophy, and multiple ESPY awards. These all reside in what he calls the “family trophy case,” along with some of his kids’ prizes.
And though the sports memorabilia and amenities are certainly what set Pippen’s home apart, he calls the kitchen, with its white, traditional cabinetry, “the coolest place in the house. I like hanging out in here. I like cooking,” he says. “I like sitting here in the morning. You’re able to watch the sun rise.”
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
