Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan were one of the most dominant duos on the basketball court and, together, they led the Chicago Bulls to six championship wins during the ‘90s. In recent years, fans have received a bit more insight into the off-court relationship between the two men, with Pippen revealing they “never were great friends.” The hall-of-fame small forward reiterated that sentiment during a recent interview. He also discussed where he now stands with Jordan following the controversy over the docuseries The Last Dance.
For those who aren’t in the know, Scottie Pippen initially claimed he wasn’t upset over the previously mentioned ESPN limited series, which Michael Jordan’s media company had editorial control over. However, Pippen later shared blunt thoughts on the Emmy-winning, 10-part show in his 2021 memoir, Unguarded, and proceeded to bash Jordan. Pippen shared more tempered thoughts on his former teammate (as well as their coach, Phil Jackson) when he sat down with Marca to discuss the game of basketball:
It was never a very close relationship. But when we played, we had great chemistry. That's the way this business is. Same with Phil Jackson. We're not close friends anymore. That's life, things change.
Pippen previously accused MJ of using his company’s editorial control to make the doc more about himself and not as much about his teammates. A while later, Pippen called Jordan a “horrible” player, who has supposedly had a negative impact on the way basketball is now played. Many have since criticized the Arkansas native’s remarks, including Charles Barkley, who accused Pippen of “big-game hunting” to sell his book. Before his death, even Jerry West also expressed disapproval and confusion over the critiques.
Despite the negative comments he shared, Scottie Pippen also praised His Airness on multiple occasions. In 2022, Pippen was asked if he’d ever play with Michael Jordan again, and he flat-out said he would play “with only” Jordan. Pippen complimented Jordan again in early 2024 when he mentioned the five NBA MVP awards he won over the course of his career. While Pippen said it “was all brought about from us being successful as a team,” he also admitted Jordan was the “greatest player” in basketball.
The Jordan/Pippen relationship remains on the rocks, though, based on the latter’s recent comments. All the while, other people have expressed their hope that the two men might find some common ground and reconcile. One of their former teammates, Craig Hodges, shared such sentiments, as he reasoned that everyone is now “too grown for that shit.” Fellow Bulls alum Dennis Rodman also expressed hope that his two former on-court partners would bury the hatchet.
As time continues to pass, my optimism over the chances of Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan making amends dwindles. More surprising developments have unfolded, though, and a kumbaya moment may not be totally out of the question. But, for now, it seems Jordan and Pippen – two of the 75 greatest basketball players of all time – will remain estranged.
Those who’d like to see the formidable Chicago Bulls duo at their best can check out The Last Dance. A Netflix subscription is what’s needed in order to stream the production
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