Scottie Pippen Has Never Expressed Condolences To Michael Jordan Over His Father’s Murder: ‘I Will Have To Live With That For The Rest Of My Life’

NBA legend Scottie Pippen has never expressed condolences to Michael Jordan over his father’s murder. 

Jordan’s father was murdered in 1993. 

“Another opportunity, if you can call it that, came during the summer of 1993, and I feel horrible every time I think about it,” Pippen wrote in his book. “Michael’s father, James Jordan, had been murdered. The two were inseparable. When I heard the news, I should have reached out to Michael right away. Instead, I went through the Bulls’ PR department, and once they told me no one from the organization had been in contact with him, I gave up. Having lost my own dad three years before, I might have been able to offer Michael some comfort. To this day, he and I haven’t spoken about his father’s death.”

Jordan and Pippen won three NBA championships before James Jordan was killed and three more after.

Pippen had numerous chances to talk to Jordan about James Jordan’s death, but he never did. 

“As soon as I heard the news, I contacted Tim Hallam, the PR guy for the Bulls,” Pippen wrote in his book. “I was hoping Tim could let Michael know how badly I felt for him and his family. I couldn’t call Michael myself. I didn’t have his number. Besides, he had a strong support group around him. He didn’t need to hear from me. What could I possibly say others couldn’t?

“Tim told me no one from the organization had been in contact with Michael. When I heard that, I should immediately have tried another way. I knew plenty of people who could have easily gotten a message to him. Instead I told myself I was off the hook because I had made my ‘attempt.’ I would express my condolences the next time we saw each other, at training camp in October. 

“Looking back, I wish I could blame my youth for being so incredibly insensitive. I can’t. There is no excuse. A friend of mine lost his father and I didn’t say a word to him. I will have to live with that for the rest of my life. Why didn’t I make a stronger effort? Perhaps I didn’t want to deal with Michael’s grief. Just as I didn’t deal with my own grief when my dad passed away three years earlier. I’ve always been good at running away from that kind of pain. Too good.”

Jordan and Pippen won six NBA championships together on the Chicago Bulls and three-peated twice.

Sadly, they won’t speak again, which is Pippen’s fault. 

Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.8 blocks alongside Pippen, while Pippen averaged 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks next to Jordan. 

The Bulls went 514-177 in the regular season when Jordan and Pippen played. 

Jordan and Pippen are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.