From Courts to Crypto: NBA Legend Urges the Community to Study Bitcoin

Knowledge is power—and when it comes to Bitcoin (BTC), that power belongs to those who make the effort to understand it. This idea is becoming increasingly important in the cryptocurrency world, a point emphasized recently by retired NBA star Scottie Pippen. While he didn’t coin the phrase, Pippen has urged people to deepen their knowledge of Bitcoin.

Scottie Pippen’s Call for Bitcoin Study

Since stepping off the court, Pippen has become more vocal about cryptocurrency. He recently shared a simple but clear message with his followers on X: “Study Bitcoin.” This advice came just as Bitcoin’s price dipped by nearly 2%, trading at around $104,000.

Pippen’s involvement in crypto extends beyond words. He launched “Game 5 Ball” last year, a project that mixes sports with new technology like tokenization and blockchain . Through this initiative, Pippen is expanding his legacy by embracing the digital age, encouraging fans and followers to learn more about the crypto space.

Learning Before Investing: Michael Saylor’s Example

Pippen’s call for study aligns with the long-standing views of Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy). Saylor has consistently advocated that understanding Bitcoin requires time and focus. Before the company bought Bitcoin, Michael Saylor revealed that he spent more than 100 hours learning about it and saw it as a valuable digital asset, even better than gold. 

After about 1,000 hours of research, he was convinced BTC was the best digital asset. This led Strategy to start buying Bitcoin in August 2020, using cash and later raising funds through convertible securities.

Today, the company holds approximately 580,955 Bitcoins, valued at over $60 billion, making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder worldwide. 

Mixed Reactions from the Crypto Community

Scottie Pippen’s suggestion to “study Bitcoin” received varied reactions from the crypto community. Some praised his advice, recognizing that many people struggle to understand Bitcoin because they don’t fully grasp the problems it seeks to solve. They argue that a solid understanding of monetary history and central banking makes the case for Bitcoin clearer.

Others were critical, especially in light of Pippen’s own crypto project, $BALL, a meme coin launched last August. Some commentators believe that influencers promoting such coins should be approached with caution when giving investment advice.

Increased On-Chain Activity Suggests Growing Interest

Focusing on the data, Bitcoin’s network activity reveals encouraging signs. Market intelligence platform Santiment reported sharp increases in Bitcoin’s on-chain metrics this week, coinciding with Bitcoin’s price hovering just below $105,000.

On May 29, more than 556,000 new Bitcoin wallets were made—the most since December 2023. Then, by June 2, over 241,000 BTC were moved on the blockchain, making it the busiest day since December 2024.

Typically, when the network gets busier, it means more people are using and interested in Bitcoin, which could be seen as a bullish signal.

Bitcoin’s Price Consolidates, with Key Levels to Watch

Bitcoin’s current trading price has been ranging in a rectangle consolidation zone, with support near $101,250 and resistance just below $110,000. This kind of sideways action often comes after a strong rally and can precede either a breakout or a pullback.

At the moment, the price is hovering near the top of the range but hasn’t broken through with strength. If Bitcoin moves decisively above $110,000, that could indicate further upside. A drop below $101,250, on the other hand, might suggest a deeper correction ahead.

Analyst Ash Crypto pointed out the formation of a cup and handle pattern on the Bitcoin chart. This setup includes a rounded bottom—formed from February to mid-May—and a smaller dip in late May to early June, forming the “handle.” The key breakout level sits around $110,000. If that line is cleared, Ash expects a rally of 25% to 30%, which would push Bitcoin toward $140,000. In a similar view, analysts at Bitcoinsensus reported that BTC has already broken out of a large right-angled descending broadening wedge on the weekly timeframe.

The price has cleared the upper trendline of that wedge, and they are now watching whether $104,800 becomes a solid support. If it does, they expect the next target to reach around $130,000 and possibly rise to $150,000, as suggested by crypto expert Peter Brandt .