Throughout his NBA career, Michael Jordan demanded absolute perfection from his teammates. He is hailed as the greatest basketball player of all time, and his confidence would be considered cocky by some. His former teammates, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and Luc Longley, have shown disdain toward him in the public eye for years. Since the release of Jordan’s documentary "The Last Dance" on Netflix, the trio has been more vocal than ever.
Pippen ridiculed Jordan for years after their time together on the Chicago Bulls. The media believes the emotion stems from underlying jealousy. Jordan’s tenure with the Bulls was highly lucrative due to his Air Jordan shoe deal and multiple contract extensions. As of 2024, he has amassed a billion-dollar net worth. Pippen accumulated $109 million throughout his 12-year tenure with the Bulls but did not construct a famous brand like Jordan.
Longley claims Jordan never complimented him while playing together. In a 2014 interview with Australian media, Longley referenced when he scored 16 points in the first half versus the Detroit Pistons, and Jordan praised him. Longley didn’t record a single stat in the 2nd half, and Jordan acted differently in the locker room after the game.
"I had a terrible second half. When everybody else was happy to be winning, Michael was furious.” Longley said. “'Luc, I am never, ever going to say a nice thing about you again.' He was true to his word; never said anything nice (to me) again."
Jordan had high expectations for his big men every night, and Grant would also be a verbal target if he did not perform. Grant played with Jordan for seven years and won 3 NBA championships. He was a key role player during the Bulls’s title reign from 1991 to 1993. He has gone on record claiming Jordan would try to dominate him verbally, and this would cause arguments during practices.
All three have criticized Jordan publicly for years and decided to join forces to profit from their stories. The trio organized the ‘No Bull Tour’ to share their experiences with audiences. The tour's purpose was to share their version of events showcased in The Last Dance documentary and reveal Jordan’s actions.
Coca-Cola sponsored the tour, and all of the dates were in Australia, Longley’s home country. Grant and Pippen joined Longley in Australia and appeared during the National Basketball League’s 2024 Gazeys. They explained the tour's purpose and slandered Jordan’s documentary, claiming it wasn’t truthful.
“ As you know me, I speak my mind, and it's gonna be a no bullsh*t tour,” Grant said. “Many people want to ask us questions about that bullsh*t documentary, but come out and get the tickets, and you’ll hear a lot.”
Fans either enjoyed the dynasty's insight or ridiculed the men for sounding bitter about Jordan’s success. On an Instagram post from Pippen, fans in the comment section referred to the trio as the ‘Three Bullsh*ters.’ Regardless of whatever they say on the tour, fans must remember it is their version of events. The hatred in their sentiments can involve exaggeration and create a false narrative around Jordan’s lineage.
The media also gave their opinion on the No Bull Tour. ESPN’s First Take reacted to the tour announcement during their show on February 23rd. Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins differed on the actions of Jordan’s former teammates. Smith has gone on record saying Jordan is the greatest player of all time, and other members of his fandom constantly defend his actions.
“Scottie Pippen is going to embarrass himself; everybody knows he's not Michael Jordan; he never was,” Smith said. “ The fact of the matter is no matter whatever he was offended by (From The Last Dance), the facts are the facts.”
Perkins disagreed with Smith and claimed the trio had the right to defend themselves. He referred to a piece of the documentary that ruined the deceased Jerry Krause’s reputation, which caused the fans to boo Thelma Krause at a recent Bulls game.
“You don’t know, and I don't know, there's three sides to every story: there's Jordan's side, there's Pippen’s side, then there is the truth,” Perkins said. “ They can tell their side of the story because the Last Dance was made to make Jordan look great. That's why all of these situations are happening, like the booing of Jerry Krause’s wife.”
The tour was from February 23rd through the 27th, and there haven’t been reports of an American phase of the tour. Ticket prices were $101.85 online, and the trio sold out every show. Their attempt to dispel any lies the Last Dance displayed was a lucrative endeavor. The three deserved the right to share their version of events and dispel negative rumors about their character.
Playing with arguably the greatest of all time put all three of them under a microscope. Even though Pippen is one of the greatest players ever, He was stuck in the eclipse of Jordan’s talent. Grant and Longley were subjected to criticism for years but departed from Chicago with multiple championship rings. The men will forever be a part of NBA history, and their iconic Bulls dynasty is one of the greatest teams in the history of sports.
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