Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were one of the most imposing duos on the basketball court during their days as Chicago Bulls players and seemed to have a tight bond. However, that relationship seems to be no more at this point. Pippen and Jordan have been engaged in a (one-sided) feud over the past few years, which was partially sparked by the docuseries The Last Dance. Per reports, the pair have not spoken in a few years and, as of right now, fans have been wondering whether the two might make amends. On that note, their former teammate, Dennis Rodman, weighed in on whether the two might ever squash their beef.
Dennis Rodman – best known as “The Worm” during his days as a player – was one of the wildest personalities in the National Basketball Association back in the day. While he may still have some of his eccentricities today, he’s also known to provide honest and cerebral thoughts here and there. The basketball hall of famer was recently asked about the Emmy-winning ESPN documentary series and, during the chat, he fielded a question about his two teammates. Rodman said he never say any negativity within the Jordan/Pippen dynamic years ago, before saying whether he thinks they’ll resolve their differences:
No, I never saw that before. I never saw them fight. Even after the season, I never saw that. They were always hanging out together, playing golf together, traveling together. It's just a lot of things that's happened over the last couple of years. So, I think Scottie's a little bitter and Michael's more laid back and say, 'Okay, like whatever,' but they're gonna work it out.
Overall, the comments the five-time NBA champion shared with TMZ are reasonable. This also isn’t the first time he’s ever commented on the rift between his former comrades. When Dennis Rodman first commented on the feud, he similarly surmised that Scottie Pippen felt “hurt” over his depiction in The Last Dance. He also opined that Pippen wanted the level of recognition that Michael Jordan has received over the course of his career. On that note, Rodman has since praised Pippen, crediting him for helping to revolutionize the small forward position. Rodman’s optimistic thoughts may be somewhat comforting for fans, but it’s hard to say whether that prediction will become a reality given what’s gone down.
Scottie Pippen initially denied having had any issues with how he was portrayed in The Last Dance. However, in his memoir, Unguarded, he shared more thoughts on it as well as Michael Jordan and didn’t mince words. Pippen admitted to being “upset” by the docuseries and claimed Jordan – who had creative control on the project – simply “glorified” himself. Since making those declarations, Pippen has taken more jabs at his old teammate, even going so far as to say he “ruined” the game of basketball.
A number of notable NBA alums have weighed in on the matter, including several notable Bulls alums. One such person who did that was Charles Oakley, who offered a grim take on the duo’s friendship moving forward. Not only did Oakley think “it's over” but he also claimed it “wasn't great from the get-go.”
Those who are like me are probably hoping Dennis Rodman’s assumption will ultimately be correct. It goes without saying that a lot of damage has seemingly been done, and it could theoretically be difficult for the pair to find common ground at this point. Still, I’d like to believe it’s possible for the two beloved NBA greats to find some common ground.
Those who want to check out The Last Dance for themselves to hear from the three Bulls players can grab a Netflix subscription and stream it.
