By now, plenty of sports fans are likely aware of Scottie Pippen’s feelings when it comes to former teammate Michael Jordan and the acclaimed docuseries The Last Dance. The hall of famer blasted Jordan in his new memoir, Unguarded, and claimed that he used the show to prove that he’s the true GOAT. Pippen even asserted that the sports icon effectively “ruined” the game of basketball. While many of their former teammates have spoken out on the situation, Chicago Bulls alum Charles Oakley has been one of the most vocal. And in his most recent set of comments, he dropped some honest thoughts on Pippen’s skills as a player.
In addition to sharing thoughts in his new book, Scottie Pippen has also made comments while doing press to promote it. During one particular interview with GQ, he explained that he released the memoir in order to let people know that he was “as great” as his on-court colleague. Charles Oakley has paid respect to Pippen and his game while discussing his polarizing comments. However, Oakley doesn't agree with how Pippen compares his greatness to Michael Jordan’s:
When everybody [is] calling this guy the GOAT, and you ain't in the Top 25 in scoring, it's hard for you to say you better than someone. But you got [an] opinion. … Scottie ain't better than LeBron [James]. So my thing is Scottie got a lot of potential, type of skill level with Bron. But I don't think Scottie averaged over 20 points but maybe one time in his career. … I like Scottie, but it's hard to say you're better than the GOAT.
So I’d say that the retired power forward has made his position on the matter crystal clear, and there’s honestly merit to his comments. That’s not to say that Scottie Pippen isn't an incredible player who had an amazing career. I mean, six championships, several All-Star appearances and multiple All-NBA selections are nothing to scoff at. Still, not many players within the history of basketball can stack up to His Airness.
Charles Oakley previously shared thoughts on The Last Dance, which he believes was mostly accurate. In terms of Scottie Pippen’s feelings towards the Emmy-winning series, Oakley believes his former teammate felt “mistreated” and thought the show didn’t make him “look good.” However, something that Oakley has said before that he reiterated during his appearance on All The Smoke is that he doesn’t think the ESPN production is to blame for the friction. He assumes it stemmed from something that happened off the court years ago.
Other players have also weighed in on the situation involving the two former Chicago Bulls. Hall of famer Charles Barkley clapped back at his fellow Dream Teamer, claiming that he’s just “big-game hunting” in order to sell his book. Fellow NBA alums haven’t been quite as blunt but have been just as honest. Detroit Pistons legend Grant Hill expressed sadness over the feud. He considers both athletes to be his friends and admires what they were able to accomplish on the court.
At this point, there’s no telling if a reconciliation of sorts is in the cards for Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. It wouldn’t be impossible for the two men to make amends and find some common ground. But if you ask Charles Oakley, their friendship is likely over.
Those looking to see what all the fuss is about can stream The Last Dance using an ESPN+ or Netflix subscription.
