Scottie Pippen accused of being treacherous to Michael Jordan

Basketball legend Stephen A. Smith has slammed Scottie Pippen for his remarks about his old teammate Michael Jordan being a 'horrible player' before he joined him at Chicago Bulls.

Pippen sparked outrage when he spoke out about Jordan in a podcast appearance last week, describing the all-time great of the NBA as 'a horrible player- he was horrible to play with, he was all one-on-one, he's shooting bad shots.'  

Jordan himself has not responded to Pippen's claims but they did not go ignored by Stephen A. - who launched into a passionate defense of the man he believes is the best to ever play basketball.

And Smith delved deeper into what the causes of what he called 'envy and bitterness' - such as how Pippen's ex-wife Larsa, 48, is dating Jordan's 32-year-old son Marcus.

In a monologue lasting several minutes, Smith talks of his respect for Pippen but says his recent comments make him sound 'ignorant', 'a damn food' and says he should feel 'ashamed' of what he said. 

'I saw what Scottie Pippen had to say and I was pretty stunned,' Smith said on the Stephen A. Smith show. 'I really, really was. 

'We all know Scottie Pippen was a great player, one of the greatest to play the game of basketball, there is nothing to take away from his greatness as a player. But he was second fiddle for a reason because anybody with eyes - it doesn't even require 20-20 vision  - knew there was Michael Jordan and then there was everybody else.

'The great Larry Bird called Michael Jordan "god in gym shorts". That is who Pippen is talking about, that guy. We are talking about a dude who took the NBA into a different stratosphere.

'People could ask if Jordan was horrible, what does that make you? But Scottie Pippen doesn't deserve that. But he deserves to hear the truth and several truths come to mind.

'Scottie Pippen, you are not one but you sound like a damn fool. An ignorant dude who don't know the game. We know better than that. We know how brilliant you are, how knowledgeable you are so it only brigs two other things to mind about you bro - envy and bitterness.

'Those are the two things. No 1, you aren't Michael Jordan, you knew that when you left the game, when you wore Jordan sneakers on the court. You didn't hate him when you needed him. 

'Your feelings were hurt about the Last Dance? Because Jordan had editorial control, according to you? You want to hold that against him? Don't hold it against Jordan, hold it against broadcast journalism and television.

'But is it personal, Scottie? Is it just about basketball? Is it about the son dating the ex-wife? Not passing judgement, just saying you're wearing your bitterness on your sleeve for a reason. 

'It ain't cool, it ain't right, it is beyond wrong. Whether you like it or not it is total betrayal. You don't need to sink to these lows, bro. You really should be ashamed of yourself.'

Both Pippen and Jordan were part of the most successful period in Bulls history, playing alongside each other between 1987-93 and 1995-98. Jordan and Pippen won six NBA titles across the course of their storied career.

Pippen and ex-wife Larsa, meanwhile, divorced in 2021 after 14 years of marriage.

She has been dating Marcus Jordan since late 2022 and said in a recent interview with Tamron Hall she had spent 'a lot of time' with Jordan and Marcus' mom, Juanita, who were 'fine' with the romance.