In a touching tribute this morning, Scottie Pippen announced the passing of his firstborn son, Antron Pippen, on Sunday, April 18.
“I’m heartbroken to share that yesterday, I said goodbye to my firstborn son Antron. The two of us shared a love for basketball and we had countless conversations about the game,” the former Chicago Bulls player wrote on Twitter, accompanying the tweets with heartwarming photos of him and Antron.
The 55-year-old revealed that Antron “suffered from chronic asthma” and that the debilitating condition stopped him from following his legacy to the NBA. However, Scottie continued, ” He never let that get him down, though — Antron stayed positive and worked hard, and I am so proud of the man that he became.”
Antron was born on December 29, 1987 to Karen McCollum, Scottie’s spouse from 1988 to 1990. The NBA Hall of Famer has four other children from his estranged wife Larsa Pippen and three others from previous relationships.
The 33-year-old reportedly played college ball at South Georgia Technical College in the 2006-2007 and also followed his father’s footsteps to play for Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). He would later sign to the World Basketball Association for South Carolina’s Upstate Heat team around 2013. Antron reportedly worked in Atlanta as a machine technician while also playing for a local team prior to his death.
As of late, Antron’s cause of death has not been revealed. Concluding his tribute, Scottie asks fans to pray for his family and friends at this time.
“Please keep his mom, Karen, and all of his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. A kind heart and beautiful soul gone way too soon. I love you, son, rest easy until we meet again.”