Larsa Pippen is the main character
People have tried to put Larsa Pippen in a box for decades — as someone's wife, someone's ex, someone's sidekick. But she's always known she was the main character.
Larsa brought that energy to our Zoom — where she joined from her Miami home, in full glam, dressed in a purple blouse with a diamond necklace peeking through. I'd expect nothing less. What you see is what you get with the television personality, both on and off camera. She's unfiltered, self-assured and not here to fulfill anyone's narrative but her own.
"I'm just super happy right now," the Real Housewives of Miami star says when I ask her to describe her current era. "I feel like there's nothing better than being with someone where you can just sleep so well at night. I just sleep so well at night. I feel like my kids are doing so well. I'm just in a really good place all around."
I wasn't expecting us to start there — most stars are typically more guarded about their personal lives. But it's the kind of open answer that reveals where her head and heart are these days.
Larsa went public with boyfriend Jeff Coby, a former basketball player, in April. It's her first relationship since her split from Marcus Jordan, whom she dated on and off for almost two years. (Yes, he's the son of Michael Jordan, former teammate of her ex-husband, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen. You probably saw the headlines.)
This season of RHOM, which kicked off in June on Bravo, picks up after Larsa and Marcus ended things for good in 2024 at the urging of her children. The demise of that relationship had an unexpected fallout among her inner circle, particularly with longtime friend Lisa Hochstein. Loyalties shifted, and the support she believed she deserved felt scarce. Although Larsa says she's in a good place now, reliving that chapter onscreen has been tougher than expected.
"Watching it back was really hard for me," she admits. "I feel like I'm not one of those people who show all my emotions all the time. I kind of keep it to myself, and I feel like this season I really needed my friends. It was just kind of crazy to see how the people that I thought would be there for me really weren't this season."
Still, seeing it unfold on television in the aftermath has been therapeutic, she says.
"Where I am today compared to where I was a year and a half ago ... God is good," Larsa explains. "I feel like I'm in such a better place. I'm super happy and I'm just thriving."
Larsa, who's starred on RHOM for five seasons, is used to the noise: from fans, fellow castmates, social media critics and tabloids. But she's never let outside opinions define her. She says that part of managing fame is blocking out the noise, something that comes pretty naturally to her.
"I feel like I've always been like that," she says. "If I believe in something, I'm doing it 100%. Not everyone might agree with it, but it's my journey, my life. I should be able to do what feels right for me."
Larsa credits that mindset, in part, to her upbringing. Growing up in Chicago as the daughter of Middle Eastern parents, she says she was often judged for her choices, sometimes even by her own family. She laughs that she's "probably the black sheep" in a family full of lawyers and engineers, but adds that she's incredibly close with them despite their differences.
Her independent streak? It's always been there.
In college, Larsa majored in political science and planned to go to law school. But then life — and love — happened. She married Scottie in 1997, at the height of the Bulls dynasty. They went on to have four children: Scotty Jr., 24, Preston, 22, Justin, 20, and 16-year-old Sophia. Motherhood has shaped her ambitions in a profound way, especially when it comes to setting an example for her daughter.
"Having my boys was different than having my daughter. I always wanted my daughter to be proud of all the things I'm doing and not necessarily just be a stay-at-home mom. I mean, there's not a harder job in the world than being a stay-at-home mom, but I was married at 22. I did that for so long that I wanted to do more," she explains. "I wanted to accomplish things and not just be an NBA player's wife. I mean, that's great enough! That's great. But for me, I wanted to do more."
These days, Larsa's proving she's more than just a reality TV star. She's also an entrepreneur and an angel investor. Most recently, she helped create an AI-powered dating app called Date.com. It focuses on safety and authenticity, with features like a no-catfishing photo verification system. You can talk on the phone through the app without having to give your phone number or personal information. It's designed to help people connect in a more honest way.
"My friends and I were single a year ago and we couldn't find any [apps] we liked," she says. Ironically, Larsa never got the chance to use it herself as she met Coby, 31, the old-fashioned way: at a party.
"I feel like I met someone who's more like me. Our families are such a big part of our lives. The more I spend time with Jeff, the more I see his family is just like mine," she says. "It's just so much fun being with someone from a like-minded background."
Larsa's connection with Coby reflects her ability to find common ground in the relationships that matter — and that extends to her co-parenting dynamic with Scottie too. After splitting in 2018 after 21 years together, the former spouses remain focused on their children. When I ask if he's had any reaction to her new relationship, she says they're not involved in each other's personal lives. It's a dynamic that works for them.
"We only talk [to each other] when it comes to our kids. If one of our kids isn't happy or something's going on, we talk on a group text or group call. Other than that, my ex has never chimed in on any relationship I've had, and I've never chimed in on his," she says. "Honestly, from the time my ex and I broke up, I've never said anything negative about him or his situation. I just want him to be happy. If he's happy, he'll be a better dad to my kids, and my kids will be happier."
What makes this chapter in her life especially rewarding, Larsa says, is how little she cares about what anyone else thinks. Especially the haters. Being on reality TV, especially the Real Housewives franchise, comes with constant feedback from fans and from viewers on social media. As far as she's concerned, most of the critics aren't worth the click.
"I don't really look [at comments], to be honest," she says. "I've looked at people's profiles and I'm like, 'Honey, you are not the one to talk about me. You can't even compete, because you don't even compare ... I get it — you're miserable. I'm not.' I'm still gonna kill it. I'm happy and doing my thing."
That confidence extends to her philosophy about aging in the public eye, something she also says doesn't faze her after turning 51 earlier this month. "I think age is just a number to me," she says. "That's probably because my mom is that way. You have to embrace yourself, whether you're 50, 60, 70 — whatever. You've got to live."
Larsa isn't stressed about getting older or the expectations that can come with it. "You just have to be happy with who you are," she says.
And at this stage in her life, she's focused on what truly matters. Despite the private planes and designer clothes that are staples among the cast on RHOM, Larsa says her goals for the future are less about luxury and more about legacy.
"I want my kids to do well," she says. "I want Justin to get into the NBA. I want Scotty to play really well in the NBA. I want Preston to figure out what he wants to do in the finance world."
She laughs. "And I want Sophia to stop spending all my money."
The sentiment is real: Larsa has poured years into raising confident, driven kids — and now, she's finally prioritizing her own successes too.
"I need to hit some home runs in the business world," she says. Larsa has been investing in some tech companies. "It's hard sitting [among] men. I invested in one company, and it's six guys. Every time I would speak, nobody would listen."
For what it's worth, she says, they should have listened to her business plan the first time.
"When I [later] came back to the table, I was like, 'I told you so,'" she recalls, before adding with a smile, "We're right most of the time."
Larsa's spent years being labeled, underestimated, talked about — but she's still pulling up her own seat at the table and making sure her voice is heard. Whether she's navigating business, motherhood or the spotlight, Larsa's not bending to anyone else's storyline.
"I'm great being Larsa," she says. "I don't need to be anything else."
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