The complex dynamics in the relationship between Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are sometimes beyond understanding. Given all the historic feats they achieved as teammates, it is hard to fathom how distant they appeared when off the court.
Jordan and Pippen never really interacted beyond their basketball hours. Many found something odd, considering the six titles they won over their 11 season as teammates. Hence, it was surprising to see that the camaraderie was only reserved for the hardwood.
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Adding to the perplexities was the fact that Pippen never expressed his condolences to MJ when his father passed away in a horrifying incident. Something many found absurd, with Pip equally guilty for it. Shedding light on it in his 2021 memoir called Unguarded.
“Another opportunity, if you can call it that, came during the summer of 1993, and I feel horrible every time I think about it. Michael’s father, James Jordan, had been murdered,” wrote Pippen.
During the night of July 23, 1993, James R. Jordan Sr. was shot dead while he lay asleep in his car. His body was discovered a week or two later in a swamp in South Carolina. The intentions behind the heinous crime were reported to be a robbery attempt gone wrong.
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Pippen seemed lost in the situation
Just over a month before the horrific incident, Pippen and Jordan made history, clinching their first 3-peat for the Bulls. Thus, the two superstars were no strangers, having seen the good, bad and ugly days. Hence, Pip was no doubt aware of how close MJ was to his dad.
Offering no excuses, Pippen talked about the guilt in his memoir that continues to haunt him to date.
“The two were inseparable. When I heard the news, I should have reached out to Michael right away. Instead, I went through the Bulls’ PR department, and once they told me no one from the organization had been in contact with him, I gave up,” revealed the veteran forward.
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Pippen’s decision to contact Jordan through the PR department added further mystery to their relationship. Nonetheless, the former could have been much more proactive, given that it was not the time to bother about formalities.
Pippen shared a similar relationship with his father
Scottie was born to Ethel and Priston Pippen and spent his formidable years in Hamburg, Arkansas. He was the youngest of the 12 children. It was not an easy childhood for the Bulls forward, whose father worked as a paper mill worker, given that it was not easy to feed a family of so many.
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Things took a whole new turn when Scottie’s second-oldest brother got paralyzed after an injury he sustained during a PE class. Six years later, their father suffered a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body, leaving Scottie devastated.
Finding an outlet with basketball, Scottie showed solid potential, making the NBA in 1987. Unfortunately, his father, Priston, could not see much of his son’s success as he passed away in 1990. Therefore, it is more shocking that despite having faced a similar situation, Scottie did not make a greater effort to reach out to MJ. It is a guilt that has been following him forever, but one would want to know what stopped him then.
It remains one of the bigger regrets of Pip’s life. Knowing firsthand the pain of losing a father, he failed to extend that same comfort to his teammates. Decades later, that silence still lingers as a reminder of the complicated bond between two legends who shared glory on the court but often struggled with connection beyond it.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.