Before Michael Jordan feud, Scottie Pippen effusively praised his airness' Flu game effort, carrying him off the floor

Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen has made headlines in recent years with disparaging comments towards his ex-teammate Michael Jordan. He recently claimed Jordan was not a great player until Pippen arrived with the Bulls.

“I saw Michael Jordan play before I came to the Bulls,” Pippen said. “He was a horrible player. He was horrible to play with. He was all one-on-one, he was shooting bad shots.”

Times were not always tense between the two players. The two shared many legendary basketball moments during their dynastic run with the Bulls.

One of those being the famous “Flu Game” where Jordan battled through a high fever and severe sickness to lead Chicago to a win over the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals.

Jordan scored 38 points despite the fatigue and Pippen carried him off the court following the game. A true sign of the pair’s bond at the time. The Bulls went on to win the title that season. It was the fifth of their six titles with Jordan and Pippen on the team.

Years later Pippen spoke about that night. He had nothing to say but high praise for the legendary Jordan and gladly carried him when he was weak.

“It was easy. He carried me for like 11 seasons,” said Pippen. “It was great, you know me and Michael have a special bond. We have been together so long.”

---

Why does Pippen hate Jordan now?

The comments were made in 2018. Pippen’s tone has seemingly changed since then and the two do not seem to have the same type of bond they once shared.

In 2020, the Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” told the story of Jordan and his Bulls in the 1998 season. Pippen was also a part of the documentary.

Pippen was depicted as bitter in some parts of the documentary. He is rumored to have strongly disliked the documentary and his portrayal in it. Some believe his recent switch of stance regarding Jordan is a reaction to the documentary. The movie painted Pippen as a clear secondary figure to Jordan and not an equal.

Jordan’s son, Marcus, is reportedly dating Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa. Perhaps the new relationship is also stoking the flames for Pippen and his newfound disdain for Jordan.