NBA legends Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen skip Chicago Bulls’ Ring of Honor gala as long-standing feud continues
NBA legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen decided to skip a Ring of Honor ceremony organised by the Chicago Bulls.
It didn't go as planned for the Chicago Bulls as their inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony was without their two best players in basketball history. Legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen decided to skip the ceremony due to unknown reasons, which just added more spice and drama to their famous feud.
The pair had already informed the team ahead of time, but no reason for their absence was provided publicly. Although, Jordan did record a video for the occasion, which played during the ceremony.
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"I am so bummed that I can't be there tonight," said Jordan, in the video which has also been posted on social media.
"Believe me, I am very grateful and very honored."
Jordan and Pippen have a long feud, which starts from their playing days. Recently, there was another twist to their rivalry as Jordan's son Marcus got into a relationship with Pippen's former wife Larsa. The duo were married for nearly two decades before their divorce in December 2021. Then almost a year later, it was reported that Larsa was dating Marcus.
Pippen was also unhappy with The Last Dance docuseries, complaining that it glorified only Jordan, while not giving enough praise to his teammates. Writing in his memoir, Pippen stated that Jordan had the final editorial control and it was his decision. In the 1997-98 season, Pippen was out for sometime due to a tendon surgery and Jordan accused him of being selfish. Later, Pippen hit back, criticising Jordan for his unexpected first retirement, aged 30, in 1993.
In the past, Pippen even called Jordan a 'horrible player', adding 'he was all one-on-one, shooting bad shots.'
Jordan and Pippen were the star players during Chicago Bulls historic 1995-96 NBA season. Widely regarded as the greatest team in NBA history, they set the record for most wins in an NBA regular season, in which they won the championship, finishing with 72 wins and 10 losses.
The regular season record was broken by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who finished 73-9 but would go on to lose in the 2016 NBA Finals. The connection between both teams is that 1995-96 Bulls point guard Steve Kerr is the Golden State coach.
They were the first NBA team to ever win 70 regular season games, finishing first overall in their division, conference and the entire NBA, and also posted a league best 39-2 home record. They are the only NBA team in history to win more than 70 games and also the NBA title in the same season.
Jordan and Pippen were both included in the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach Phil Jackson coaching the Eastern Conference. Jordan also got his second All-Star Game MVP award. He was also named Most Valuable Player of the Year, averaging 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Meanwhile, Pippen averaged 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Jordan and Pippen were both named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive Team. THe Bulls defeated Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference First Round of playoffs, and then beat New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, followed by a victory against Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Bulls beat Seattle SuperSonics to clinch their fourth NBA title in six seasons.