Stephen A. Smith says he felt he was being targeted by former Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen after Michael Jordan didn’t reach out to his father after his father was murdered in 1993 ) betrayed.
The ultimate NBA star has a very close relationship with his father, James Jordan. He was shot to death in his car in South Carolina by two teenagers serving life sentences for first-degree murder.
In Pippen’s 2021 book “No Guard,” he mentioned that he chose not to have contact with Jordan when news of his father’s death broke. He wrote: “I feel horrible every time I think about it. Michael’s father James Jordan was murdered.
‘The two are inseparable. When I heard the news I should have contacted Michael immediately. I lost my own father three years ago and I might be able to give Michael some comfort. To this day, he and I have not talked about his father’s death. “
Pippen made many other attacks on Jordan in the book, but according to Stephen A. Smith, this was an admission that his late father had given up on the possibility of them ever being friends again.
Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan’s relationship has been strained for years
Pippen admits in book that he could have done better when Jordan’s father was killed
Jordan’s son Marcus is dating Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa, who is 17 years older than him
Speaking to Patrick Bate David on the Value Entertainment Podcast this week, Smith said: “Michael Jordan feels betrayed when it comes to Scottie Pippen.
“When Scottie revealed in his book his feelings for Michael Jordan and how he didn’t even personally express condolences to Michael Jordan[when his father died]I was on the phone with him that day talking about Other things.
“We heard what Scottie Pippen said. Michael Jordan gave the impression that it was busy and chaotic, and that’s why he never thought about it.
But all these years later, when Scotty mentioned his father’s murder, he wasn’t intentionally expressing condolences, with Michael Jordan’s words being “I hope it was worth it.” I hope it was worth it for him.
‘He literally said, ‘I don’t have anything to say.’ I know Michael Jordan well enough to know what that means. “
Their relationship seemed to take a further hit when Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa began dating their son Marcus, who is 17 years younger than Jordan.
They recently broke up and apparently no longer speak, but if Smith is right, that won’t pave the way for the two NBA superstars to rekindle their relationship.