Former Bulls Champion Craig Hodges Begs Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen to End Rift

Hall of Fame former Chicago Bulls teammates Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan may have been historically simpatico on the hardwood during their 11 years together, but they were never quite best friends off it.

In recent years, it appears their relationship — which was always collegial, but which Pippen claims was never incredibly close — has fizzled.

Pippen took exception with the Jordan-produced “The Last Dance” ESPN docuseries, covering the dynastic-era Bulls during Jordan’s tenure on the team. As he explained in his 2021 memoir “Unguarded” (as excerpted in GQ Sports), Pippen, one of the best players of all time in his own right, was frustrated with the way the show depicted Jordan’s relationship with his teammates.

“Each episode was the same: Michael on a pedestal, his teammates secondary, smaller, the message no different from when he referred to us back then as his ‘supporting cast,'” Pippen said. “From one season to the next, we received little or no credit whenever we won but the bulk of the criticism when we lost. Michael could shoot 6 for 24 from the field, commit 5 turnovers, and he was still, in the minds of the adoring press and public, the Errorless Jordan.”

Pippen was also frustrated about the six-time league MVP’s compensation.

“To make things worse, Michael received $10 million for his role in the doc while my teammates and I didn’t earn a dime, another reminder of the pecking order from the old days. For an entire season, we allowed cameras into the sanctity of our locker rooms, our practices, our hotels, our huddles… our lives.”

Pippen appeared on Patrick Bet David’s “PBD Podcast” in Jan., where he expounded on the early dynamic.

“I just think Michael is a very difficult person to deal with,” Pippen said. “I played with him for years so I know that when it’s time for you to move in you direction, then go in your direction. Don’t sit there and try to… stretch it that the relationship is not where it was or not what it used to be, and it’s never going to be the same. So why try and make something out of nothing?”

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It’s been surprising over the last few years to discover just how strained the relationship between dynamic duo has always been. Pippen conceded elsewhere during the pod that he and Jordan hadn’t spoken since 2020.

Now, it appears that even some of Jordan and Pippen’s teammates are sick of their drama.

3-point specialist guard Craig Hodges, who was with the pair between midway through the 1989-90 season and 1991-92, spoke on former longtime NBA wings Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s podcast “All The Smoke” about the conflict.

“He was under the influence of 23 [Jordan],” Hodges said, explaining that Jordan took Pippen under his wing and helped him grow into the All-NBA superstar he would eventually become. “So he [was] the little brother. I think to some degree, that’s still there, in that little rift they’re having, but, lord willing, it’ll come together, because everybody’s got children and grand babies now, man. We too old for that s—.”

In his 12 seasons with Chicago, Pippen averaged 17.7 points while slashing .481/.327/.693, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per bout. He and Jordan won six titles in eight years together. Although he never won an MVP award, Pippen finished among the top 11 in vote recipients six times, including two top-five finishes.

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The 6-foot-8 University of Central Arkansas alum was a seven-time All-Star, a 10-time All-Defensive Teamer, a seven-time All-NBA honoree, and a member of the NBA‘s 75th anniversary team.

Pippen is one of the great all-time players in the league, and it’s unfortunate that he felt the documentary in any way diminished just how important his contributions were to the Bulls’ legendary run. Between their two three-peat championship stints (first in 1991-93, and again in 1996-98), Jordan and Pippen were the only two roster constants.

Hodges was a critical component of Chicago’s initial two titles in his own right.

The 6-foot-2 Cal State Long Beach product logged parts of four seasons with the Bulls, winning his championships with the franchise in 1991 and ’92. He logged averages of 6.2 points on .436/.404/.856 shooting splits, and his role as a spot-up sharpshooter helped endear him to Chicago.

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