For most of the 90s, the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty was built on the pairing of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. But according to NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith, the rift between the two started early in that decade, leading all the way to the release of The Last Dance.
Jordan first entered the league in 1984 as the Bulls’ third pick in that year’s draft. Since then, His Airness played 15 seasons for the franchise with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. The Chicago Bulls star also led the NBA in scoring for 10 seasons and steals for three campaigns.
Pippen, on the other hand, joined Chicago in 1987 and played 11 seasons there. Throughout that period, the All-Star forward tallied 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 steals on a nightly basis. He would also appear in seven All-Star Games while playing for the Bulls.
Together, the duo won a total of six rings for the Bulls during the 90s. The first three-peat occurred in the early part of the decade, while the second run saw the pair almost at the end of their prime. Nevertheless, having both Jordan and Pippen in the lineup made this string of championships possible for Chicago.
Stephen A. Smith Reveals Chicago Bulls Story On How Scottie Pippen Betrayed Michael Jordan
While the pair worked well during their time together, certain cracks have started to form early in their relationship. Stephen A. Smith recounts what happened with Jordan in an episode of PBD Podcast:
Stephen A. Smith says Michael Jordan feels betrayed by Scottie Pippen for not offering condolences after his father’s murder
MJ’s quoted words are, “I hope it’s worth it for him. I have nothing else to say.”😳
(Via @PBDsPodcast / h/t @NBABeyondCourt )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 30, 2024
That incident seemed to be the basis for Jordan’s motivation to cut ties with Pippen. The All-Star forward, on the other hand, has thrown out a lot of criticism towards Jordan’s way, especially about the legitimacy of his the claims he made on The Last Dance.
While a lot of people would want to see the two stars patch things up, there may be too much animosity now between them. In any case, time may hopefully heal all wounds when it comes to Jordan and Pippen.
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