Larsa Pippen is reacting to Michael Jordan’s recent disapproval of her relationship with his son Marcus Jordan.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of her and Marcus’ Separation Anxiety podcast, Larsa, 49, said that she was “embarrassed” and “traumatized” after the NBA legend, 60, publicly stated that he doesn’t approve of her romance with Marcus, 32.
Earlier this month, a TMZ photographer asked Michael about his son’s relationship with the Real Housewives of Miami star while he was leaving a dinner at Paris’ Matignon. At first, Michael simply laughed the question off, but the paparazzi then pressed further into whether he approved of the romance between the pair, who have a 16-year age gap. “No!” the former basketball player responded.
During the podcast, Marcus explained he had found his father’s comment amusing, though Larsa noted that she “didn’t think it was funny.”
“I know my dad, and obviously my whole family, we’re so competitive, part of our DNA is to talk s—, it gets us going and gets us motivated. And when I saw it immediately I thought, ‘He’s playing.’ He’s joking, he’s laughing. He’s just being playful, he’s a little lit, maybe off the Socorro [tequila],” Marcus said.
Marion Curtis/StarPix for Focus Features/Shutterstock; Alamy
He added that while he hadn’t “put too much weight into it” he understood it had made Larsa “a little nervous” and noted that Michael contacting the pair afterwards to make sure they “didn’t take things the wrong way” had helped Larsa understand he had been truthful about his parents approving of the pair. The couple then discussed how the story had blown up.
“Yeah,” Larsa replied, noting that, “I kind of felt like it went everywhere and I was kind of like embarrassed.”
Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan The Wooshi World Celebrity Basketball Classic at The FLA Live Arena.Larry Marano/Shutterstock
Elsewhere in the podcast, Larsa admitted that her romance with Marcus “probably is awkward” for Michael and her ex, Scottie Pippen, due to the NBA players’ own relationship with each other, but she said that she and Marcus “weren’t a part of that” and later shared her own reaction to first hearing Michael’s comment.
“Oh my God, I was traumatized. I was like, ‘What are we going to do? People think I lied,'” Larsa said, referring to Michael’s remark coming after she had previously said the couple’s parents approved of the relationship.
Shortly before, she and Marcus had discussed the rumored feud between his dad Michael and Larsa’s ex-husband Scottie Pippen, who were teammates at the Chicago Bulls, and the “narrative” that he is dating Larsa to “get back” at Scottie, 57.
“His [Michael’s] goal has always been to steer clear of our relationship,” Marcus explained on the podcast.
“At the root of it all obviously is my dad’s relationship with your ex Scottie [Pippen]. Obviously, we never talk about that and I don’t think my dad wanted to comment on that. There’s always that narrative, the rumor that I’m dating you in some sort of way to get back at whatever was said, and if my dad comes out and says, ‘Yes,’ he’s fuelling that narrative or whatever. I think he said no just in a joking way, knowing how Jordans play around, and so I thought it was funny from the jump.”
Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan are seen on May 07, 2023 in Miami, Florida.305pics/GC Images
“My dad did say, ‘Maybe I should have kept quiet.’ ” Marcus also laughed at one point in the podcast, adding that if there were any “reg flags” about their relationship, his family would have pointed them out. “Everyone supports in different ways,” he said.
Larsa confirmed her relationship with Marcus on Instagram in January, sharing a snapshot of the pair in front of a floral installation of his dad’s famous #23 Chicago Bulls jersey.
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The reality TV star married Scottie in 1997 and split from him in 2021. The pair share four children together: Scotty Jr., 22, Preston, 21, Justin, 18, and Sophia, 14.