Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen expressed his displeasure with Michael Jordan at an international forum.
Renowned sports commentator Stephen A. Smith publicly criticized Pippen’s behavior during the “No Bull” tour; NBC Sports Chicago originally reported the criticism.
Since ESPN launched the “The Last Dance” documentary series in 2020, Pippen has seized almost every opportunity to criticize it.
While Pippen was the most outspoken, he certainly wasn’t the only one to challenge Michael Jordan’s image of the ’90s Bulls dynasty. Horace Grant and Luke Longley join him on tour around Australia this week to tell their version of the story.
The live tour, aptly named No Bull, kicks off in Tasmania on Friday 23 February and will head to Melbourne and Sydney next week.
To fans and the public at large, it doesn’t matter whose interpretation of events is more accurate. Competing with Jordan in the arena of public opinion will almost certainly lead to failure.
Stephen A. Smith echoed that sentiment on Friday’s “First Take.” He chided Pippen for getting involved in a fight that was already settled.
“Scottie Pippen would embarrass himself,” Smith said. “Everyone knows he’s not Michael Jordan, and he never was. No matter how much he disagrees, the fact remains.
His refusal to play because Phil Jackson didn’t visit him is well documented. He was a six-time champion and even Michael Jordan called him his greatest teammate of all time. But his insistence on objecting to his portrayal in the docuseries was a major mistake. “
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The Bulls’ Legendary Journey: The Untold Story of “The Last Dance”
Three stars from the 1990s Chicago Bulls — Pippen, Horace Grant and Luke Longley — have unveiled their plans for a tour to showcase their take on the documentary “The Last Dance.”
They will partner with Australia’s National Basketball League to share unique and personal narratives of Michael Jordan’s championship dynasty.
Kendrick Perkins echoed Smith’s sentiments, insisting that there are three sides to every story.
“Each story understands Jordan’s version, Pippen and his colleagues’ interpretation, and then the facts,” he said.
Perkins stressed that Jordan’s capitulation to these incidents resulted in former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause being undeservedly maligned.
Pippen dutifully supported Jordan as his right-hand man during six championship runs. Grant was a key figure for the Bulls from 1987 to 1994, while Longley was selected for their second three-peat starting in 1994.
“A lot of people want to ask us about that deceptive documentary; instead, get your tickets and you’ll hear a lot,” Grant commented this week while promoting the tour.
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