Marcus Jordan says an engagement with girlfriend Larsa Pippen is "in the works."
“I feel like we’ve been looking at rings,” Larsa Pippen told People in an article published Dec. 1.
“We’ve definitely been shopping. That’s for sure," the basketball player added.
Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan only started dating recently — but their ties go way back.
The “Real Housewives of Miami” star shares four children with ex-husband Scottie Pippen, the estranged former teammate of Michael Jordan, Marcus Jordan’s dad. Their rivalry dates back to their time playing for the Chicago Bulls: In his 2021 memoir "Unguarded," Scottie Pippen wrote that Michael Jordan-centric documentary "glorified" Jordan "while not giving nearly enough praise to me and my proud teammate."
On their new podcast "Separation Anxiety," Larsa Pippen, 49, and Marcus Jordan, 32, recently opened up about the complications of their shared history and 16-year age gap. Read on for an overview of how this couple came to be.
When did Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan start dating?
The couple has been publicly linked since December 2022, when People shared images of the two kissing and holding hands.
She commented on the rumored relationship to Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live."
“You recognize why people are like, ‘Oh my god, this is wild?” Cohen asked Pippen of the relationship in December 2022.
“I mean I guess, yeah, but I think a lot of people think that our families were really close and intertwined and they really weren’t,” she said. “Like I never really knew Marcus or his mom or them. I just recently met them a couple years ago.”
After the reality star added, “We’re friends!” Cohen tagged on “with benefits,” to which she responded, “We’re friends.”
In January 2023, Larsa Pippen posted a photo of her standing next to Jordan — officially linking them. The Jan. 23 post, which features the two posing in front of a giant flower replica of Michael Jordan’s old Bulls jersey, only fueled the already sparked dating rumors.
Weeks after becoming “Instagram official,” Larsa Pippen shared a photo with Marcus Jordan on the beach for Valentine’s Day, writing, “My forever Valentine,” with a red heart emoji.
Marcus Jordan commented back, “4eva,” with a fire heart emoji.
On his own Instagram story, Marcus Jordan re-shared the post with some GIFs, including, “Happy Valentine’s Day (every day the 14th)” and “love is in the air.”
He also posted a photo of his beau holding two bouquets of flowers and he captioned it, “Three words, 8 letters,” with a heart and sparkle emoji.
How did Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan meet?
Speaking to People in March 2023, Larsa Pippen said the two built “a great foundation as friends” after meeting at a party in Los Angeles four years ago.
What have Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan said about their relationship?
The reality television star recalled to People the first time she realized she had feelings for the ex-NBA All-Star’s son.
“I think it was one night we went out and there was a girl that was there,” she began in an interview.
“She was trying to talk to him, and I was getting jealous over it,” she said. “And it was weird because I’m not really the jealous person, but I was jealous over the situation.”
Larsa Pippen said that moment made her realize that she might really like him. “That kind of sealed the deal,” she said.
Following her divorce from Scottie Pippen in 2021 after more than 20 years of marriage, Larsa Pippen said she “found faults in every guy” until Marcus Jordan.
“For me, I just could never be open, and open to different guys,” she said. “I would find faults in every guy … I had all these quirky things and then low and behold, Marcus drops down from heaven. And I’m like, ‘I like everything about him.’”
“I feel like, I always joke around, and I say, ‘Oh my God, if Marcus told me to color my hair green, I’m going to do it,’” she said. “Just because I feel like I have to make him happy because he makes me so happy.”
What have Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen said about the relationship?
In June, the pair started a podcast entitled, “Separation Anxiety,” in which they get personal each week about topics like babies, NBA wives, Larsa Pippen’s divorce, joint bank accounts and relationship do’s and don’ts.
About a week after Michael Jordan told a photographer in Paris that he didn’t approve of his son’s relationship with Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, the two launched a podcast episode called “Father Knows Best?!?!??!”
“At first, he laughed, you know, kinda like how I laugh at a lot of the questions that we go through on this podcast,” Marcus Jordan said in the June 11 episode of his dad’s exchange.
“He laughed, and then the reporter I guess asked again, and he let out an emphatic ‘no,’ and then shook his head again as he was walking to his car,” he added.
However, Marcus Jordan also said that his dad “texted and called” him to tell him not to take anything he said the wrong way.
“But when the article came out, he texted me again and said he never said ‘Hell no,’ that’s not what the implications were,” he said, then adding that his dad was in a “playful” mood and had been “joking” when he initially spoke.
“I didn’t put too much weight on it,” he said.
Whether or not his dad is fine with the relationship won’t hold Marcus Jordan back, though. On the podcast, he said he’ll date whoever he wants.
“I can make my own decisions, he doesn’t need to approve who I date or my personal relationships. He’s gonna love me no matter what,” he explained. “I think that’s what the takeaway was from the conversation, but of course no one sees that, they just see the headlines.”
Though Jordan seemingly walked away from the controversy confident in his love life and relationship with his dad, Larsa Pippen said she was “traumatized” by the incident.
“You thought it was funny,” she told her boyfriend. “I didn’t think it was funny. There is nothing funny about it.”
She added, “I kinda felt like it went everywhere and I was kind of embarrassed.”
Larsa Pippen said that incident made people think she lied about their families approving of the relationship.
“I think people started to think that online they were saying that I was lying — that I lied and said that our parents are fine because I was doing interviews and literally saying both of our families are fine,” she said.
She then reiterated that both her parents, as well as Marcus Jordan’s parents, want the couple to be happy, but understands why people might have their questions.
“It probably is awkward for my ex and your dad because they have their own, like, relationship or whatever it was,” Larsa Pippen said.
During the episode, the television star told Marcus Jordan that any issues between Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan were not their own problems.
“I wasn’t a part of that, you weren’t a part of that,” she said. “So I feel like for them it probably is weird, it probably is weird for your dad. I can’t be mad. I understand.”
Speaking to Andy Cohen in December 2022, Larsa Pippen shared that her ex Scottie Pippen, with whom she shares children Scotty Jr., 22, Preston, 21, Justin, 18, and Sophia, 14, had not commented on the then “friendship," now relationship.
Marcus Jordan says engagement to Larsa Pippen is ‘in the works’
Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen first sparked engagement rumors in August when she was spotted with a new ring.
The couple set the record straight on their podcast. They said Marcus Jordan gave her a promise ring and confirmed they are not currently engaged, despite his cheeky comments to paparazzi.
But Marcus Jordan has again said an engagement is “in the works.”
Though the couple didn't include any specific details on when or how the engagement could happen, Larsa Pippen told People she trusts the judgement of the NBA star's son.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I feel like Marcus has got great taste, and I feel like I know that he’s not going to disappoint us.”
