Following Scottie Pippen’s controversial remarks about former teammate Michael Jordan, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was seemingly convinced that Pippen’s comments were generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
I thought this was AI generated the way he was hatin so hard… 😂😂 https://t.co/zTLxCcRbdg
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 27, 2023
Pippen’s video criticism of Jordan delivered shock waves in the basketball world. At least some have expressed a belief that Pippen’s take is not only wrong but delusional.
Jordan entered the NBA in 1984 with the Chicago Bulls, with Pippen joining him three years later. During the 1990s, the duo served as the centerpiece of a Bulls dynasty that won six NBA titles in a span of eight seasons.
Prior to Pippen’s arrival, Jordan did struggle to lift the Bulls from one of the worst teams in the NBA to one of the best.
Yet, claiming that Jordan was “horrible” in those three seasons borders on the absurd. One reason stems from the simple fact that he won Rookie of the Year honors in 1985. The following season, he was limited to just 18 regular season games because of a broken foot.
Despite that absence, the Bulls managed to reach the 1986 playoffs. Though the Bulls were swept in three games by the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics, Jordan delivered an iconic performance in Game 2 by scoring 63 points in a double overtime defeat on the road.
Chicago’s championships with Jordan and Pippen were accomplished by twice winning titles in three consecutive seasons.
Jordan shockingly announced his retirement prior to the start of the 1993-94 season, with the Bulls then failing to repeat as champions. He did not return until March 1995, with the Bulls’ playoff hopes that season ending with a second-round loss to the Orlando Magic.
Pippen’s attack on Jordan’s playing ability is not the first time he’s offered such volatile comments. In November 2021, he remarked that he was as good a player as Jordan, who is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player ever.
Yet, Pippen has also made efforts to tamp down any idea of him having a feud with Jordan. Back in July 2020, he stated that there was no bad blood between them.
Still, some resentment clearly exists toward Jordan, considering that Pippen once criticized basketball media for the fact that he never won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Pippen’s stated reason was that the media was too busy watching Jordan.
It seems likely that Pippen’s latest comments will be quickly forgotten. Players such as Young are left to simply shake their heads when recalling them down the road.
