Scottie Pippen Criticizes Michael Jordan: ‘We Were Never Great Friends’

CHICAGO, Ill. — Scottie Pippen, the Hall of Fame forward and six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, has reignited his public criticism of former teammate Michael Jordan, calling him “a very difficult person to deal with” and confirming that the two were never close friends off the court.

Pippen, 59, made the remarks during a recent appearance on the ‘PBD’ podcast, hosted by Patrick Bet-David. “We never had dinner together. He was a good teammate, but we were never great friends,” Pippen said, reflecting on his relationship with Jordan, 61, during their dominant run with the Bulls in the 1990s.

The duo, alongside Dennis Rodman, led the Bulls to six NBA championships (1991-1993, 1996-1998), cementing their legacy as one of the greatest teams in basketball history. However, tensions between Pippen and Jordan have simmered for years, exacerbated by the 2020 Netflix documentary ‘The Last Dance,’ which Pippen claims glorified Jordan at the expense of his teammates.

“The last two episodes, like the previous eight, glorified Michael without giving too much importance to me and my teammates,” Pippen said in a 2021 interview with Michael Strahan on ‘Good Morning America.’ “Here I was, in my fifties, seventeen years since my last game, watching us being degraded once again.”

Pippen’s criticism of Jordan dates back to his 2021 memoir, ‘Unguarded,’ where he described feeling like “nothing more than an accessory” during their championship runs. He also accused Jordan of ruining basketball by popularizing a style of play that prioritized individual heroics over team dynamics. “In the 80s, in schoolyards, everyone played by moving the ball, passing it to help the team. In the 90s, that ended. Everybody wanted to be like Mike,” Pippen wrote.

Pippen has repeatedly praised LeBron James as the greatest player of all time, contrasting James’ all-around game with Jordan’s perceived selfishness. “LeBron does it all and gets his teammates involved,” Pippen said.

The strained relationship between the two legends has been further complicated by personal developments. Marcus Jordan, Michael’s son, is currently in a relationship with Larsa Pippen, Scottie’s ex-wife, adding another layer of tension to their already fractured dynamic.

Despite their differences, Pippen acknowledged a level of mutual respect. “We will always have that mutual respect, but our friendship is not like people see it on TV,” he said.

Dennis Rodman, another key member of the Bulls’ dynasty, once described the trio’s dynamic with a biblical analogy: “Michael Jordan was God, Scottie Pippen was Jesus, and I… the devil.”

As the debate over their legacy continues, Pippen’s latest comments ensure that the complex relationship between these basketball icons remains a topic of discussion for fans and analysts alike.