NBA Hall-of-Famer Scottie Pippen could be in Fort Kent this weekend attending the World Cup Biathlon, according to a report on Fasterskier.com.
“Right now, we’re planning for a visit from Scottie Pippen,” Nancy Thibodeau, the event director for the Fort Kent Cup event, told the website.
Pippen teamed up with Michael Jordan to lead the Chicago Bulls to three straight NBA titles from 1991-1993 and three more from 1996-1998. He played in the NBA from 1987 to 2004, with 12 seasons in Chicago, one in Houston and four in Portland while finishing with career totals of 16.1 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game and 5.2 assists per game.
According to Fasterskier.com, Pippen would be visiting Fort Kent on Friday and Saturday as a guest of Sergei Kushchenko, the Russian first vice-president of the International Biathlon Union who is also the right-hand man of New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
“Because of the Nets connection, [Kushchenko] has somehow struck up a friendship with Scottie Pippen,” Andy Shepard, the president of the Maine Winter Sports Center told the website. “Because Kushchenko is here, people are suggesting that Scottie will be, too.”
Shepard said Pippen’s visit is still unconfirmed, but that organizers have secured lodging for him.
Pippen, 6-foot-8, is considered one of the NBA’s best-ever small forwards as he was named to the league’s all-defensive first team eight straight times, was a seven-time NBA all-star and is one of four players to have his number retired by the Chicago Bulls along with Jordan, Jerry Sloan and Bob Love.