Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen each did not attend the Chicago Bulls’ inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony on Thursday.
Jordan and Pippen were intended to be the headliners of the ceremony, which was announced on Dec. 12, as the two most prominent players in the history of the franchise. It would have been one of the first times they returned to the Bulls’ arena since they retired. However, they no-showed amid an ongoing feud that has gone on between them since their playing days.
Jordan sent a video message via the Bulls’ X (formerly Twitter) account thanking the team for the invitation and says he was “bummed” he couldn’t make it. Jordan did not give an explanation as to why he wasn’t going in the video.
Pippen has not offered any comment in regards to his absence.
“I would be excited for everyone to come, but we announced it six weeks ago,” Bull president/CEO Michael Reinsdorf told The Chicago Sun Times. “People have schedule issues, and so this is just our way of saying thank you to the players and the staff, so that’s what we’re looking forward to.”
Former Bulls star Dennis Rodman also did not show up. Fellow former Bulls guard and current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was able to attend since his team is in Chicago to play the Bulls on Friday.