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Michael Jordan feels betrayed by his former Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen after choosing not to reach out when his father was murdered in 1993, according to Stephen A. Smith. 

The NBA’s ultimate star was extremely close with his father, James Jordan. He was sH๏τ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in his car in South Carolina by two teenagers who are serving life sentences for first degree murder.

In Pippen’s 2021 book Unguarded, he alluded to choosing not to reach out to Jordan when the news of his father’s death emerged. He wrote: ‘I feel horrible every time I think about it. Michael’s father, James Jordan, had been murdered. 

‘The two were inseparable. When I heard the news, I should have reached out to Michael right away. Having lost my own dad three years before, I might have been able to offer Michael some comfort. To this day, he and I haven’t spoken about his father’s death.’

Pippen took a number of other sH๏τs at Jordan in the book, but according to Stephen A. Smith it is the admission about his late father that has buried any prospect of them every becoming friends again. 

Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan have endured a fractious relationship over the years

Pippen admitted in his book that he could have been better when Jordan’s father was killed

Jordan’s son Marcus was dating Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa, who is 17 years older than him

Speaking on the Valuetainment podcast to Patrick bet-David this week, Smith said: ‘When it comes to Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan feels betrayed. 

‘When Scottie revealed in his book his feelings for Michael Jordan and how he didn’t even give his condolences in person to Michael Jordan (when his father died), I was on the phone to him that day talking about something else.

‘We had heard about what Scottie Pippen had said. Michael Jordan was under the impression it was busy, it was chaotic and that’s why he never thought anything of it.

But all of these years later, when Scottie had alluded to his father being murdered and he didn’t give his condolences on purpose, Michael Jordan’s words were ‘I hope it’s worth it. I hope it’s worth it for him.

‘He literally said “I have nothing else to say”. And I know Michael Jordan well enough to know what that means.’

Their relationship appeared to take a further hit when Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa began dating Jordan’s son Marcus, who was 17 years younger.

They recently split and apparently are no longer on speaking terms but if Smith is correct, it’s not something that will pave the way for the two NBA greats to rebuild their relationship.