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Pippen reportedly rips Bulls' Gordon, Hinrich

‘You can't have midgets running your backcourt,' former Bulls great says

Image: Pippen
Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images
Former Bulls great Scottie Pippen says Chicago's Ben Gordon is "shooting for a contract," the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
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updated 2:26 p.m. ET Jan. 1, 2008

Former Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen isn't endearing himself to any of the current Bulls.

Pippen, who has said he thinks he should be the Bulls next head coach, ripped current Chicago sixth man Ben Gordon and point guard Kirk Hinrich, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.

Pippen criticized Gordon's shooting, saying the guard is "out there shooting for a contract" and that "taking bad shots is a sign of a lack of respect for your teammates," the Sun-Times reported.

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''You think I'm going to run back if I know B.J. Armstrong is jacking it up?'' Pippen said, the newspaper reported. ''My shot is just as good as his. That's what players think."

Gordon said he didn't put any stock into Pippen's comments, the Sun-Times reported.

''I don't really care what Scottie has to say," Gordon said, the newspaper reported. ''Everybody's entitled to their own opinion, but it doesn't have anything to do with anything. One thing I realize in pro sports: When you're down, people shovel more dirt on you; when you're doing well, everybody wants to get on the bandwagon. So I'm just going to make everybody jump on the bandwagon."

Pippen also criticized Hinrich, saying he's "not that talented," the newspaper reported.

"You can't have midgets running your backcourt," the former Bulls great added, the Sun-Times reported. Little guards always put you in a vulnerable position."

Hinrich declined to fire back, the newspaper reported.

''I really liked him (when Pippen played his final season for the Bulls with Hinrich)," he said, the Sun-Times reported. "I don't think he's ever afraid to speak his mind. When he was out there, he was a leader on the floor, always directing things. I feel like I learned some things from him when he was here. He'd definitely be a good assistant coach to start off with."

© 2008 msnbc.com

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