Michael Jordan’s relationship with Scottie Pippen has seen better days. The latter has been mercilessly blasting the former in the media for a variety of reasons over the past few months.
Pippen has made some pretty serious allegations against Jordan. He has also criticized him heavily for his irritating ways.
It has gotten to the point where everyone from Kyle Kuzma to Grant Hill has attempted to intervene and express discomfort with the tone of this beef.
That said, one party at the center of the feud reportedly tried to make things right at one point.
In his book, "Unguarded," Pippen himself admits that Jordan apologized to him for one of the things that really ticked him off: how he was represented in Jordan’s "Last Dance" documentary.
Specifically he wanted to know why Jordan would include a tidbit about Pippen refusing to enter a playoff game because Phil Jackson drew up a last-second, game-winning shot for Toni Kukoc over him.
“It’s always gonna come back to haunt him at some point in some conversation,” Jordan said in the documentary. “Pip knows better than that.”
In his book, Pippen attempted to rationalize the decision.
“There was one person I was angry with: Phil Jackson. Michael was gone. This was my team now, my chance to be the hero, and Phil was giving that chance to Toni Kukoc? Are you serious? Toni was a rookie with no rings,” Pippen wrote.
“I was in my seventh year with three rings. And, by the way, in the MVP race that season, I finished third behind Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. The most humiliating part was Phil telling me I would throw the ball inbounds. At least when you’re on the floor, you can be a decoy. The Knicks would have put two defenders on me. Someone would have gotten a good look. By not going back in the game, I did the right thing.”
Pippen also added that when he confronted Jordan over including this in the documentary, he received an apology.
“I asked why he had allowed the 1.8 seconds game to make the final cut,” Pippen wrote. “He didn’t say much other than to apologize and acknowledge that if it were him, he, too, would be upset. I didn’t press any further. I knew it would do no good.”
The relationship between Jordan and Pippen is likely damaged beyond repair at this point. That said, the fact that Jordan apologized to Pippen once seems to suggest that he has the capacity to do so again.
It’s a long shot, but hopefully at some point it happens again and both of these legends can move on with their lives in a healthier and more constructive way.
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