Despite Making Michael Jordan a Billionaire, Scottie Pippen Claims $166 Billion Company Hurt His Career

Nike has historically signed some of the best athletes in the world, including some of the best basketball players in the NBA. Not all of them have shoe deals but a chosen few do. It is rare for a player to blame a sneaker company for having negative effects on their career. However, in an interview, Scottie Pippen claimed that Nike did cause damage to his career.

Nike signed Michael Jordan who went on to start a sneaker line of his own with the company. Helping Jordan not only become a billionaire but also popularize his signature sneakers around the world.

Scottie Pippen blamed Nike for his injuries

How could one Bulls legend gain so much whereas another legend of the Chicago Bulls ended up blaming the shoe company? In an interview that was posted on Sole Collector?s official YouTube channel, Pippen explains how.

Nike, at the time, was promoting a new ?Air Bubble? sole which apparently did not sit well with Scottie Pippen. Pippen ended up rolling his ankles numerous times and also had to undergo surgery on both of his ankles.

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Pippen said, ?I was a player that always wanted to be closer to the floor. Nike at that time was really promoting the ?Air Max? which was more looking at the bubbling thing. I was just caught in an era where they were trying to promote the ?Air Bubble? and I was a player that I needed to be lowered to the ground.?

?I turned my ankle numerous amount of times. In fact, I had ankle surgeries on both ankles.? That is when the host asked him if it was because of the sneakers he wore. To that Pippen did say yes, highlighting, ?Yeah, I feel like playing in the air bubble shoe roll made me roll my ankles a lot.?

After years of sitting on this, Pippen finally broke his silence. For him to blame Nike may not have been the smartest move. Nike did pay Pippen a huge amount of money for signing a deal with the company.

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Nike, back then, was focusing more on surrounding their sneakers with Michael Jordan?s abilities of high-flying and acrobatic plays. They decided to go all in on that due to the popularity that came with Jordan. It would, however, be interesting to see some spokesperson from Nike giving Pippen a reply over his claims.