Hollywood and the public at large have seen some unexpected celebrity couples emerge in the past few years, though a more recent pairing is certainly one for the books. And I’m not referring to Emily Ratajkowski and Eric André (who’ve since broken up). I’m referring to newly minted couple Marcus Jordan – the son of NBA great Michael Jordan – and Larsa Pippen – the ex-wife of Michael’s former teammate, Scottie Pippen. While I’m not sure many people would’ve put Marcus and Larsa together, they are indeed an item and have been steadily creating buzz. They haven’t been together quite a year yet, but their relationship has been filled with some key moments that we’re going to discuss.
Before we get into the specifics though, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the fact that this romance emerged during a very interesting time. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen aren’t exactly on the best of terms right now. The two hall of farmers have been engaged in a feud – one that’s only seen Pippen throw jabs. He was unhappy with Jordan’s handling of acclaimed docuseries The Last Dance, which centered on the Bulls’ final championship run. Pippen hasn’t minced words on the show or his former friend, claiming that Air Jordan ruined the game of basketball and was a “horrible” player.
So I say all of that simply to give you some context as to why the timing of this couple’s public debut is a bit awkward. The feud info will also help inform at least one memorable moment from Larcus’ romance. On that note, let’s dive in.
The Marcus Jordan And Larsa Pippen Buzz Began With A “Double Date”
If we’re going to talk about this saga, then we’re going to have to start at the beginning. Well, we can’t say for sure that this was the beginning, but it was the first whiff of the relationship that most of the public got. Photos surfaced in September 2022 that seemed to show Larsa Pippen (now 49) and Marcus Jordan (now 32) on a date in Miami. The two also appeared to be accompanied by two other individuals. The group apparently enjoyed lunch at Zuma, a Japanese restaurant in the area.
The photos were arguably enough to give one the impression that the two were having a good time together. However, they didn’t serve as strong enough evidence to confirm that they were dating at the time. That didn’t stop much of the public from speculating on the matter, unsurprisingly. After those initial photos came to light, the two were photographed together on a number of other occasions in the months that followed. They were also recorded on one particular instance, and said encounter was awkward, to say the least.
The Couple Was Screamed At By A Spectator During A Date
Yes, you read the subheader above correctly. Larcus had an unpleasant experience when they were out together in the fall of 2022. They were taking in a San Diego Chargers game at SoFi Stadium when a fan recognized them. Said person then began to yell, and the video went viral. Take a look for yourself:
This is where the Pippen/Jordan feud comes into play. The person recording likely referred to Marcus as “cold” due to the fact that Scottie was already beefing with Michael by that point. To be clear, they shouldn’t have been yelled at, though this does signify how deep basketball loyalties run. Of course, we still need to mention the fact that the relationship still wasn’t even confirmed at that point, as neither Larsa nor Marcus had publicly addressed it. That would all change months later.
Larsa Pippen Was Ultimately The Member Of The Couple To Speak Out
Both would remain mum on the nature of their relationship. That is, until Larsa Pippen was asked for answers. The Real Housewives of Miami alum addressed the rumors, claiming, at the time, that she and Marcus Jordan were nothing more than good friends:
We are friends. We’ve been friends for the last couple of years and I’m in a place right now where I’m finally open to dating. Every time I’m seen out with someone, [people] make it out to be more than it actually is, and it’s normally nothing. So, yeah, I’m just dating right now and focusing on my businesses, my family, and having fun. People want to label your relationship when they don’t know what it is. But I don’t really care what other people think.
I can’t personally say for sure just how many people were convinced by those comments, yet I’m willing to bet that not everyone was sold. Well, believe it or not, the two did start off as friends, though something changed. That leads us into our next key moment, which once again comes courtesy of the reality TV veteran.
Larsa Pippen Remembers The Exact Moment She Realized Her Feelings For Her Beau
Every relationship begins with some kind of spark and, while we can’t say when Marcus Jordan realized his lady was the one for him, we do know when she felt something. The media personality can name the precise moment she discovered her feelings for the former college basketball player. And interestingly enough, she has another woman to thank for it:
I think it was one night we went out and there was a girl that was there. She was trying to talk to him, and I was getting jealous over it. And it was weird because I'm not really the jealous person, but I was jealous over the situation. And so then, I was thinking maybe I do really like him. That kind of sealed the deal.
And the rest is history, I suppose. Of course, once they linked up there were still plenty of other variables to consider, mainly their families’ reactions. Marcus Jordan eventually had to tell his dad about his lady, and he was apparently supported. That notion was seemingly challenged sometime later, however, after Air Jordan made a public appearance in Paris.
Michael Jordan Seemingly Gave The Relationship A Thumbs Down
Surely, there were plenty of people who were wondering what the six-time NBA champion thought about his son going out with his ex-teammate’s former wife. That answer seemed to arrive in the summer of 2023. Michael Jordan was swarmed by paparazzi while leaving a restaurant in Paris and was ultimately asked if he approved of the relationship. He yelled, “No” and, after being asked again, he merely shook his head.
This was definitely surprising, as Marcus Jordan had previously noted that his father did indeed support him and his lady. Even if one didn’t know that, they might’ve also naturally assumed that the proud pop would’ve backed his son no matter what. At first glance, this seemed like a devastating moment in Larcus’ story, yet not all was as it appeared.
Marcus Jordan Set The Record Straight On His Father’s Comments
It was eventually reported that Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen would address what Michael said, and they did indeed set the record straight. Days later, they released an episode of their Separation Anxiety podcast, which gave them to space to do so. Marcus explained that his father was in Paris for Jordan Brand’s Quai 54 tournament, which is an annual event. When Michael was leaving the restaurant, he had just finished the dinner that’s usually held as well. Marcus reasoned that his dad was feeling good at the time after possibly having some shots of tequila. The younger Jordan then provided even more context:
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 apparently, His Airness isn’t actually critical of the pairing. Though that didn’t stop Larsa Pippen from feeling somewhat “traumatized” by the fact that the comments made the rounds across the web. Marcus Jordan, for his part, also admitted that the “timing” wasn’t ideal, yet he actually found the situation to be somewhat laughable:
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.
The Jordan family’s competitive nature has been well documented, so it’s very likely that Michael was just poking fun at his boy. Joking or not, this whole thing makes for an interesting chapter in this unconventional love story. (I’m personally curious as to whether this is the last thing we hear the celebrated athlete say about his son’s love life.)
This is certainly a whirlwind romance if I’ve ever seen one, and it’s hard to look away from it. One can reasonably say Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen have seen their ups and downs as a couple thus And there’s a firm chance there are more important moments and milestones to come. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching to see how it all pans out.
