According to U.Today, former professional basketball player Scottie Pippen, renowned as one of the greatest small forwards of all time, has faced significant backlash from the cryptocurrency community following his recent announcement. Pippen revealed the tokenization of the iconic 1991 Game 5 championship ball from the Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Finals. In a video statement, Pippen declared, 'Thirty-three years later, I'm making history again by tokenizing this historic ball on the blockchain. So, let's make history together as you can officially be a part of this legendary moment.'

Back in 1991, MVP Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls secured their first NBA championship, with Jordan scoring 30 points and Pippen contributing 32. The Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, marking the end of the Lakers' dominance throughout the 80s. The Bulls went on to win six championships between 1991 and 1998, a period widely regarded as the greatest run in North American sports history. This is not Pippen's first foray into the cryptocurrency space; in 2022, he launched an NFT collection that sold out in a record-breaking two minutes. Earlier this month, he also sparked debates between Ethereum and Solana communities with a social media post.

Pippen's recent announcement has drawn strong criticism from the community, with many accusing the NBA legend of desperation. One user commented, 'This is too lame to watch. Why do people speculate on a basketball lmao.' It is important to note that the tokens will not represent physical ownership of the ball. Some have also criticized Pippen for missing an opportunity to introduce his own celebrity meme coin. However, Pippen's decision not to launch a meme coin appears prudent, given the recent decline in the popularity of such coins. Every celebrity meme coin launched on the Solana blockchain has seen an average decrease of 94%, with even the best-performing coins down more than 70%.