By now, a number of basketball aficionados and general sports fans alike are probably aware that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are not on solid footing right now. The two former Chicago Bulls teammates have been engaged in a (one-sided) feud for the past few years now. The reported quarrel between the pair began after the release of the ESPN docuseries The Last Dance, which Pippen shared blunt thoughts on. And, since then, the former small forward has thrown additional shade at the show and Jordan himself. Now, in an intriguing turn of events, Pippen and some of his and Jordan’s former teammates are teaming up to talk smack about His Airness and the doc — and get paid for it.
What Exactly Is This New Collaboration Between The Former Bulls Players?
It was confirmed that Scottie Pippen will be embarking on the “No Bull” tour, courtesy of the National Basketball League. Pippen will be joined by ex-teammates Horace Grant and Luc Longley, who will regale attendees with stories of their time playing with the championship-winning NBA team during the ‘90s. Per the tour’s description on Ticketek, the trio will discuss topics like their experiences working with coach Phil Jackson and their time playing alongside Air Jordan. With all of this in mind, it seems like more than a given that they’ll also touch on the Emmy-winning documentary series.
This venture is set to take place in Australia and, as of this writing, the group will be visiting three cities. The first engagement is in Tasmania on February 23, and the NBA veterans will later make their way to both Melbourne and Sydney. Actor Shane Jacobson is set to moderate these panels, which are touted as offering sports fans unparalleled access to behind-the-scenes stories.
If I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t expecting such a collaboration. While Scottie Pippen has spoken out on multiple occasions, I didn’t imagine that he’d take part in such a project. Yet I suppose that if he’s going to talk about his days as a player, he might as well get paid for it.
What Have Scottie Pippen And Some Other Ex-Bulls Said About Michael Jordan And The Last Dance Thus Far?
To say that Scottie Pippen didn’t mince words when talking about The Last Dance would be an understatement. While he initially seemed to downplay the idea that he disliked the doc, Pippen revealed in late 2021 that he was “upset” by it. He claimed that the 10 episodes “glorified” Michael Jordan, whose company had editorial control, and didn’t give due credit to other players. From there, Pippen claimed Jordan “ruined” basketball and even called him a “horrible” athlete to play with. He subsequently received backlash from Charles Barkley, former coach Stan Van Gundy and more over the statements.
Horace Grant was unhappy with the production as well, specifically the fact that MJ accused him of leaking locker room secrets that led to the publishing of the book The Jordan Rules. Grant, in turn, claimed that his ex-teammate lied in the “so-called” documentary. He also declared that if the Space Jam alum held a “grudge” of some sort then they should “settle this like men.”
Unlike his teammates, Luc Longley – who is a native of Australia – couldn’t be reached for the production given that he still resides in the Land Down Under. So we’ve yet to hear his take on how his years winning NBA titles with the team, and I’m particularly curious to hear what he has to say. And, surely, there are those who are curious as to whether his thoughts are as his “No Bull” tourmates. Time will tell, but what I’ll say now is that basketball fans should gear up, because these events could generate some truly eye-opening stories.
In the meantime, those who haven’t checked out The Last Dance yet can stream it with a Netflix subscription.
