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The legendary NBA star Scottie Pippen was a Hall of Famer on the court. His contributions alongside the superstar Michael Jordan were one of the highlights of last year’s fascinating documentary on their team, the Chicago Bulls, in the 1990s, “The Last Dance.”
However, the six-time NBA champion has had much less luck scoring a sale of his Chicago-area home. It’s bounced on and off the market over the years, after debuting in 2016 with an asking price of just under $3.1 million. Over the years, the price has been slashed multiple times.
Most recently, the Highland Park home was available for $2.1 million—which is less than the $2.25 million Pippen paid for the place in 2004.
Now the Bulls great, who retired from the NBA in 2004 after 17 seasons, is trying a new strategy. He’s placing his memorabilia-filled property temporarily on Airbnb
ABNB,
in a collaboration with the vacation rental company, which is promoting home stays in conjunction with the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Scottie Pippen in his memorabilia-filled home.
Airbnb
In order to become a vacation rental, the Chicago-area suburban abode has been taken off the market and spruced up with an Olympic decor theme. Pippen himself was an Olympian and a member of the gold-medal-winning Dream Team in the Barcelona Games in 1992.
“Ball out at Olympian Scottie Pippen’s home,” the listing opens, following up with an invitation from Pippen himself. “In honor of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, I’m inviting basketball fans to my Chicago home to relive one of my career highlights—competing at the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992. I’m excited for you to cheer on the next generation of Olympians from my home court.”
And he means home court in more ways than one: There’s an actual indoor basketball court in the house, emblazoned with Pippen’s No. 33, from his Bulls days.
Booking opens on Thursday, July 22, for three stays on Aug. 2, Aug. 4, and Aug. 6, timed to be able to livestream hoops from Tokyo.
The cost for up to four guests to use two of the home’s bedrooms and one bathroom is just $92 a night, in honor of the year that Pippen won gold at the Olympics.
Guests won’t have the entire run of the nearly 10,000 square feet of living space, which includes a total of two master suites and six bedrooms.
Scottie Pippen’s Highland Park home
Realtor.com
Living room
Realtor.com
Eat-in kitchen
Realtor.com
Bedroom
Realtor.com
Pool with waterslide
Realtor.com
But those lucky enough to snag a reservation will enjoy a virtual greeting upon check-in from Pippen himself.
They can also partake in the home’s many perks, such as using Pippen’s personal movie theater to watch the Olympic Games, including men’s and women’s basketball. Guests can also watch footage of the team’s historic 1992 run in Barcelona.
Or they can cool off in the pool, which features an outdoor TV, so you can keep on top of the competition even while sunning on the patio.
The home also features an arcade, for more easygoing competition, and the indoor sport court to practice your jump shot. Then, relax in the sauna post-workout, whip up a meal in the kitchen, and of course, soak in the memorabilia from Pippen’s glory days.
Pippen hopes to infuse some excitement into a listing that hasn’t attracted much interest from buyers over the years.
If the short stays prove successful, Pippen may be inspired to offer Airbnb his Florida home, which is still on the market in Fort Lauderdale.
That waterfront estate, at an asking price of $12 million, has been on and off the market for over a decade.
