After Scottie Pippen’s ‘Horrible’ Comments On Michael Jordan Went Viral, A Former Teammate Spoke Out
Another Bulls alum has a take on the sharp comment.
A plethora of sports fans – including myself – have been watching what appears to be a breakdown in the relationship between iconic Chicago Bulls players Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. Pippen didn’t mince words in 2021 when he expressed his displeasure with the ESPN docuseries The Last Dance, which he believes Jordan used to “uplift himself.” Since then, the former small forward has aimed a number of pointed comments at his former friend in what’s essentially been a one-sided feud. And Pippen made headlines again in May when he called Jordan a “horrible” player. The sentiments have spurred a number of responses, including one from fellow Bulls alum Scott Williams.
Scottie Pippen made the viral remarks about Air Jordan when he was asked about who he views as the true GOATS of basketball. He believes LeBron James will become “the greatest statistical guy to ever play the game.” When discussing his old on-court partner in Chicago, Pippen said that his style of play made him a “horrible” athlete to play with. In his estimation, Michael Jordan was “was all one on one” and prone to “shooting bad shots.” It should be said that the hall of famer did name Jordan as part of his Mount Rushmore of greats, though he seemed to stand firmly by his critiques as well.
Scott Williams played alongside both of the NBA greats for three of his four seasons with the Bulls. The color commentator recently appeared on Roc & Manuch with Jimmy B, where he was inevitably asked about his old colleague’s thoughts. Williams remained diplomatic while also admitting that like so many others, he was also surprised by the sentiments:
He hasn’t always stayed in his lane, though. After Scottie Pippen called out Michael Jordan in 2021, Scott Williams took a seemingly lighthearted shot at him. He mused that Jordan was the better teammate given that he tends to do a better job of staying in contact. Nevertheless, Williams doesn’t really seem to hold any kind of negative feelings towards Pippen. He does find this situation disappointing, however, as he was hoping that he and his old buddies, with whom he won three consecutive championships with, could link up soon:
The former McDonald’s All-American’s take on the situation is definitely tame compared to those shared by others. Charles Barkley called out Scottie Pippen for his comments, accusing him of “big-game hunting” to sell his memoir at the time. Former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy referred to Pippen as “bitter” after he took another shot at Michael Jordan in 2022. So it pretty much goes without saying that there’s been a lot of drama here. At this point, it doesn’t look like there’s a mea culpa on the horizon but, like Scott Williams, I hold out hope that one can happen between Pippen and Jordan.
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Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.