“They Were Walking on Eggshells”: Scottie Pippen Once Admitted ‘Bully’ Michael Jordan Was Misunderstood by His Own Bulls Teammates

Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan as a duo earned many laurels in the NBA. Rarely have we seen a duo accomplish so much together. Their storied history is one of the most revered ones among NBA fans. However, recently, Pippen’s constant condemnation has soured the bond between the two. This has left a pungent aftertaste of what was a magical run by the Bulls legends. One remarkable aspect of the whole Pippen-Jordan situation, however, is that the legendary Bulls Wing wasn’t always hostile towards MJ. 

In an interview on ABC News in 2021, he had a completely different take on Jordan. The transformation in his stance is unprecedented. 

Pip talked about Jordan in a different light two years ago

When any player joined the Jordan-led Bulls, the pressure on that athlete was sky-high. Therefore, Pippen delved into this topic and laid out the mentality that shaped the way players reacted to him and felt challenged by him. The former Bulls’ swingman defended Jordan’s actions and, for him, much of what Jordan wasn’t calculated. For him, the way Jordan approaches the game and his zeal to win both made him out to be such a fierce competitor, which could be understood in an abrogating manner by his teammates.

He said, “He sort of put himself in a position where each and every day where teammates felt they were being challenged him and that wasn’t anything I think he intentionally did. I think it was the stardom that he had when these otter guys came into his world after 10 years in the league and three championships. Michael Jordan is the biggest name in the game and you have to be chance to be a part of that.”

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He then used a poignant metaphor to define the situation. He remarked, ”As other players, they felt like they were walking on eggshells. That’s just how they felt initially. But I think as days grew longer and we went into several seasons, their comfort zone became something that they realized, he is like that, it wasn’t that bad. I see why he is like that”. These comments are defending Jordan’s fierceness and downright hostile behavior toward his teammates. 

Now Pippen thinks Jordan was a horrible teammate and player

During some instances, Jordan’s actions on the court regarding his teammates were downright violent. He had famously punched Steve Kerr during a practice session and badmouthed teammates regularly. However, Kerr rather stated the punch was a momentous occurrence that improved their bond. Earlier, Pip defended Jordan for these actions, but things have changed significantly. 

Lately, instead of defending Jordan’s attitude, Pippen has been going after him during every instance. He had expressed that His Airness was a horrible player before he arrived on the team. He had talked about how the legendary Shooting Guard was a horrible teammate and overall, he made rounds after dismantling Jordan’s legacy thoroughly.

What has changed in the last two years? Is there some personal feud? What are your thoughts on the issue? Do share in the comments below.

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