It would be an understatement to say that Scottie Pippen’s comments on Michael Jordan have caught the attention of the sports world. Since the hall of famer aired his honest opinion of his old teammate, fans have been discussing the statements amongst themselves. The comments have also drawn the attention of some basketball greats, one being Charles Barkley. The former NBA MVP didn’t hold back while sharing his feelings and, when he spoke on the topic again recently, he, once again, did not mince words.
The Chicago Bulls legend has been speaking out in the midst of the press tour for his new memoir, Unguarded. In it, he claimed Michael Jordan used ESPN’s The Last Dance to “glorify” himself and for not putting more focus on their teammates. He also declared that Jordan “ruined basketball” by ushering in a new style of play that didn’t rely on teamwork. Upon hearing these sentiments, Charles Barkey clapped back and accused the player of “big-game hunting” to sell books. Barkley also chastised his fellow Dream Team alum’s decision to reveal his views through a book and not drop them in a more public setting.
Given his reputation, it’s not too surprising that the Round Mound of Rebound was still honest while speaking with Sirius XM. The hall of famer did admit that he has yet to read the book, only the excerpts. However, he still isn’t pleased with what he’s seen up to this point:
First, I haven’t read the book, I’ve only read excerpts. But some of the stuff he said about Michael was just really not cool at all. And I know that’s how you sell books… But I would think personally [that] even if I had an issue with somebody, I would have probably tried to phrase it differently. Or I would say, ‘You know what, we won six championships together.’ That little bit of money ain’t worth for me burning down the whole house. … [Scottie] didn’t incinerate anything, he burned down the whole house… and came back the next day and made sure it was burned down.
Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan were one of the NBA’s most powerful tandems for years, and firmly solidified themselves in the history books. They also seemed to have a solid bond both on and off the court. It’s for these reasons that some of their contemporaries are sorry to see this current situation play out. Detroit Pistons icon Grant Hill called the recent turn of events “sad,” especially considering that he’s friends with both of them. Kenny Smith, the former point guard and Charles Barkley’s Inside the NBA colleague, also noted the connection between Jordan and Pippen when discussing the matter. Though he also thinks The Last Dance was accurate in its depiction of the two.
A few former Bulls players have since given their two cents as well. Scott Williams, who played alongside the duo during their first championship three-peat, called the Jordan Brand head the better teammate. He also cited Michael Jordan as the player who’s more likely to reach out to someone and maintain contact. Meanwhile, Charles Oakley seems to believe that the apparent rift between the two goes behind the ESPN docuseries. His thinking is that it stems from something that occurred during their days as players.
There’s really no telling if the two sports legends will ever clear the air but, as Scottie Pippen continues to speak, the odds of that happening seem to become less likely. It’s said that time heals all wounds but, as Charles Barkely can attest to, basketball talk can cut deep.
Those looking to check out The Last Dance for themselves can stream the 10-part docuseries on Netflix and ESPN+.
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