Scottie Pippen's son, Antron, dies at 33
(NEXSTAR) – Basketball great Scottie Pippen's firstborn son, Antron, has died at the age of 33.
The six-time NBA champion said that Antron died on Sunday, according to a statement he shared on Twitter, but the legendary Bulls forward didn't specify the cause of death.
"The two of us shared a love for basketball and we had countless conversations about the game," Pippen wrote. "Antron suffered from chronic asthma and if he hadn't had it, I truly believe he would've made it to the NBA. 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."
"Please keep his mom, Karen, and all of his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers," Pippen wrote. "A kind heart and beautiful soul gone way too soon. I love you, son, rest easy until we meet again.
Antron, who was born in 1987, was Scottie Pippen's only son with his first wife, Karen McCollum.
Antron Pippen played college basketball at Texas A&M International University before a stint with the Upstate Heat of the World Basketball Association, according to Marie Claire. He ultimately settled down in the Atlanta area where he worked as a machine technician at a laboratory.