Photo: ESPN / YouTube
The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls is considered the greatest team in NBA history. It had so many great players, but hardly anybody could “touch” Michael Jordan. The man is, after all, arguably the best NBA player ever.
At this point, Jordan is worth about $1.7 billion, and his legacy has been solidified. He was on his way to riches since the 90s, and wasn’t shying away from flaunting money, making outrageous bets, and even being very generous with it.
In one particular case, he gifted his then-teammate Scottie Pippen something that could easily rank in the best gifts ever category.
“For the Christmas of '97, Pippen had an earring made for Jordan -- a diamond-encrusted replica of the NBA championship trophy. Jordan, who had planned to give Pippen a box of cigars, reconsidered and instead gave him his red Ferrari, which Pippen had long admired,” according to an ESPN story.
It’s not clear what the exact model was, although some point towards a 550 Maranello. Considering it was the Christmas of 1997 and the car was unveiled in 1996, that could be the case since a top player like Jordan could have easily gotten his hands on the newest and shiniest “toys” out there.
The Ferrari 550 Maranello was the successor to the F512M, the last version of the Testarossa.
Produced between 1996 and 2001, the 550 Maranello was elegant and practical yet aggressive, with overall performance close to that of the F40, and plenty of luggage space. Even though it had a front V12 engine, it was made to handle as well as a mid-engine car.
Safe to say that Pippen probably liked it more than he would have a box of cigars. But although the two players looked like best friends on the court, they weren’t that close off it.
“We always will have that respect for each other, but our friendship is not what people see on TV,” Scottie said in a 2021 interview.
Speaking of TVs, if you haven’t seen The Last Dance yet (the Jordan and the 90s Bulls docuseries), you might want to check it out.
In one particular case, he gifted his then-teammate Scottie Pippen something that could easily rank in the best gifts ever category.
“For the Christmas of '97, Pippen had an earring made for Jordan -- a diamond-encrusted replica of the NBA championship trophy. Jordan, who had planned to give Pippen a box of cigars, reconsidered and instead gave him his red Ferrari, which Pippen had long admired,” according to an ESPN story.
It’s not clear what the exact model was, although some point towards a 550 Maranello. Considering it was the Christmas of 1997 and the car was unveiled in 1996, that could be the case since a top player like Jordan could have easily gotten his hands on the newest and shiniest “toys” out there.
The Ferrari 550 Maranello was the successor to the F512M, the last version of the Testarossa.
Produced between 1996 and 2001, the 550 Maranello was elegant and practical yet aggressive, with overall performance close to that of the F40, and plenty of luggage space. Even though it had a front V12 engine, it was made to handle as well as a mid-engine car.
Safe to say that Pippen probably liked it more than he would have a box of cigars. But although the two players looked like best friends on the court, they weren’t that close off it.
“We always will have that respect for each other, but our friendship is not what people see on TV,” Scottie said in a 2021 interview.
Speaking of TVs, if you haven’t seen The Last Dance yet (the Jordan and the 90s Bulls docuseries), you might want to check it out.
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