Scottie Pippen squashes rumors of bad blood with Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen sets the record straight about whether or not he and Michael Jordan beefed over the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty. 

Among the many nuggets of information we all took away from The Last Dance, perhaps the most upsetting to Chicago Bulls fans was the implication that the relationship between Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan fractured when the epic dynasty they build came apart.

More specifically, stones cast throughout the documentary trying to place blame for why the Bulls run had to stop seemed to indicate that if there weren’t already hard feelings there would be once the episodes aired. It was no secret that a driving force behind the narrative of The Last Dance was Michael Jordan, someone historically very protective of his image.

Scottie is well aware of this, he watched the documentary just like everyone else did. But he wants to set the record straight and be very clear about where he and MJ stand.

“My relationship with Michael is great, great as ever, there is nothing changed,” Pippen said on Da Windy City podcast. “This documentary has not changed our relationship. We will be friends forever.”

Pippen and Jordan won six NBA championships together and an Olympic gold medal. Jordan has heaped praise on Pippen many times saying “there would not be a Michael Jordan without Scottie Pippen” or “every championship I won, you saw Scottie Pippen.”

But the rumors persisted that Pippen was not happy with the documentary and was mad at Jordan. Jordan did say in the documentary that “Scottie was being selfish” when he sat out the first part of the 1998 season because he “didn’t want to f*** up my summer.” Pippen decided to  wait to have ankle surgery.

Just because someone was “being selfish” doesn’t mean Jordan was holding a grudge then or now. A grudge is retiring after the 1998 season because Phil Jackson is not coming back as head coach. Jordan was naming what was so with Pippen at the start of 1998.

Both Jordan and Pippen would have loved another title in 1999 with the Bulls.  Jordan retired while Pippen was traded to the Rockets. That season has been dubbed with an asterisk by some including Shaquille O’Neal, who says that this 2020 season should have an asterisk attached to it. Pippen agrees.

“If you are going to put an asterisk on the other 50-game season then you have to look at this one pretty much the same,” Pippen said. “But hey, a title is a title. I would have taken a title in 99, a nice four-peat. I don’t care if they would have put an asterisk beside it.”

Pippen’s Rockets lost to the Lakers in four games in the opening round. He was playing with Charles Barkley, who was past his prime and not as dedicated to the sport. Pippen confirmed that Barkley needed to work harder for the Rockets to have had a chance.

“You right, you know that!” Pippen said.

To listen to the entire Scottie Pippen interview click on Da Windy City Podcast here.

Scottie Pippen sat down to promote Michelob Ultra and their digital courtside experience.

Fans can visit www.ultracourtside.com and follow Michelob ULTRA’s social channels for details on how to win access to the courtside experience.