NBA insider reveals how Michael Jordan truly feels as he gets candid about regret and his broken ties with Scottie Pippen

The long-running issues between former basketball legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen have come back into the spotlight, bringing up memories from their time together with the Chicago Bulls. Once considered a great duo, many people thought Jordan was just angry about what happened, but that may not be true.

The former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson said Bulls forward Michael Jordan felt more hurt than angry by Pippen’s comments, according to Sam Smith, a former Chicago Bulls player. Instead of reacting in public, Michael Jordan stayed quiet and accepted that their close relationship had slowly come to an end.

How “The Last Dance” changed everything as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s once-cordial relationship turns bitter after documentary fallout

During their time with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, along with Scottie Pippen, won 6 championships together. “I didn't win without Scottie Pippen. And that's why I consider him my best teammate of all-time”, Michael Jordan once went candid about his bond with Scottie Pippen. And while Michael Jordan didn't share a very close personal off-court relationship with his Bulls teammate, Scottie Pippen. But they maintained a cordial relationship with each other, years after their retirement. But their relationship deteriorated following the release of the documentary, “The Last Dance” in 2020, which focused on Michael Jordan, placing him as the main figure of the Bulls’ legacy.

Scottie Pippen allegedly felt deeply hurt by how his legacy was showcased in the film, as he felt the filmmakers didn't do justice with the way his legacy was portrayed in the film. He also felt positioning Jordan as the central figure not only minimized the roles played by the other teammates but also that the documentary didn't fully show their shared success. Over time, that feeling turned into bitterness, leading Pippen to openly criticize Jordan and question his reputation as one of the NBA's greatest players.

Michael Jordan chooses disappointment over anger as his relationship with Scottie Pippen remains unhealed

Over time, Scottie Pippen's relationship with Michael Jordan has worsened to the extent that it still hasn't healed yet. But Jordan’s response has been quite unexpected as he seemed to have been more disappointed by how Pippen has reacted to this entire matter rather than feeling mad.

And it is quite remarkable on Michael Jordan's part as he has handled the entire situation with Scottie Pippen, that instead of seeing it as an open public fight, he took it as a personal loss, a loss of years of on-court partnership and a deeply personal friendship that he once shared with Pippen. And while the duo is held by shared games and moments of championships, their personal relationship remains distant even to this day, which reminds that shared success on the court doesn't always mean harmony off it.


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