By now, it’s clear that Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan’s relationship has had its share of supporters and detractors. Though a number of people seemed taken aback when a certain someone in the couple’s orbit seemed to fall into the latter camp. Michael Jordan, Marcus’ father, made headlines after he was asked if he approved of his romance with Pippen. At the time, the NBA great gave an emphatic “no” seemingly indicating that he was not a fan of the pairing. It was said that Marcus and Pippen would address the comments and, now, they have, with the latter setting the record straight on his dad’s remarks.
The explanation came during the latest installment of the couple’s Separation Anxiety podcast, during which they also discussed Larsa Pippen’s birthday festivities. When talk finally turned to Air Jordan’s comments, Marcus took the lead. He explained that when the headline-making moment happened his dad was in Paris for Jordan Brand’s annual Quai 54 tournament. As previously reported, Michael was leaving dinner when he was approached by the press, and it turns out said meal was also a company event, per Marcus.
While speaking, the younger Jordan theorized that his father was riding somewhat high due to having a bit of tequila, one of the 60-year-old’s drinks of choice. And after recounting his father’s exchange with the media, Marcus revealed that he and his girlfriend had a bit of a heads up before the story began to spread across the Internet:
Obviously, we knew ahead of time, because he texted and called me and wanted to make sure I didn’t take anything the wrong way. But then when the article came out, he texted me again and said that he never said “hell no,” that’s not what the implications were.
So based on these comments, Michael Jordan doesn’t actually have a problem with his son seeing Larsa Pippen – the ex-wife of his former Chicago Bulls teammate, Scottie Pippen. Nevertheless, it sounds like Larsa was still somewhat uneasy after the story went viral, and she explained the reason for that:
I feel like, from day one, I feel like our parents were like, not in a bad situation about us. I think it’s not ideal for Larsa to be with Marcus or Marcus to be with Larsa. And I think in the beginning there was a lot of shock value to it. Our families, in the beginning, would’ve rather us not be together.
As of late, the two lovers have been candid about their romance and being honest about it with their respective families. Marcus Jordan recalled telling his father the news after rumors about the relationship started cropping up. Marcus said that both his parents were eventually “at ease and comfortable with” the situation, which in turn allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. The younger Jordan seems to feel so relaxed, in fact, that he revealed that when Michael’s comments went live, he found them funny:
I’m dying laughing. … It was hilarious to me. … I know my dad, right? Obviously, my whole family, we’re all competitive, the Jordans. Part of our DNA is to talk shit, you know? It gets us going and gets us motivated. And so when I saw it, immediately, I thought, ‘He’s playing, he’s joking, he’s laughing, he’s just being playful. [He’s] maybe a little lit off the Cincoro, walking out of Matignon. … I don’t want to talk about what he texted me and said verbatim, but I think at the root of what we talked about was, you know, I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. He doesn’t need to approve who I date or my personal relationships, because he’s going to love me no matter what. And so, I think that is what the takeaway was from the conversation, but of course, nobody sees that.
While he’s glad that his dad is good with the relationship, Marcus Jordan did acknowledge that the “timing” of the moment wasn’t ideal and that even his siblings questioned their dad’s comment. He and his lady also discussed the external factors surrounding them, including the relationship between Michael and Larsa’s ex. (Scottie Pippen, who was recently spotted with a mystery woman, has yet to publicly comment on his ex’s love life.) The two former teammates have been engaged in a one-sided feud as of late, which started after Scottie shared blunt thoughts on ESPN docuseries The Last Dance. Marcus and Larsa have seemingly aimed to steer clear of that drama.
Aside from the Jordan family, Larsa Pippen’s Real Housewives co-stars have also shown support for her romance with Marcus. The responses haven’t been totally positive, as one fan even screamed at them while they were on a date. Marcus and Larsa don’t seem to be letting any of that get them down, though. If anything, it seems that the opinions they value the most are the ones of the people they love and care for, like Mike.
