Pippen, Payton Top NBA's All-Defensive Team

Jet, May 31, 1999

Houston Rockets forward Scottie Pippen and Seattle Supersonics guard Gary Payton and four other elite NBA players were named to the league's 1998-99 All-Defensive First Team.

There were six players on the list instead of the usual five because of a tie among forwards.

Pippen became only the third player in NBA history to be named to the defensive first team eight times. Pippen's former Chicago Bulls team-mate Michael Jordan was named to the first team nine times and former NBA great Bobby Jones made the list eight times.

Payton, known throughout the league as "The Glove" because of his exceptional defensive play, received the most votes of any player named to the defensive first team with 47 out of a possible 56 votes.

Other members of the All-Defensive First Team include San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning, who was the second-highest vote-getter with 46, and Phoenix Suns guard Jason Kidd.

The voting panel consisted of the NBA's 29 head coaches who were not permitted to vote for players from their own team.