Karen McCollum Is a Talented Pianist – Where Is Scottie Pippen's Ex-wife Now?

Before his highly publicized marriage to Larsa Pippen, Scottie Pippen was married to Karen McCollum, and the ex-couple welcomed a son. Since their divorce, the former Chicago Bulls player's ex-wife has combined her love for music with her passion for teaching.

Scottie Pippen is widely known for his impressive nearly 20-year reign in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, where he earned numerous accolades. However, the former small forward revealed it took a lot of sacrifices to reach such heights of success, including leaving his first wife, Karen McCollum.

Karen McCollum — a gifted instrumentalist — still uses her ex-husband's last name on social media and proved the former couple have an amicable relationship after tagging Scottie Pippen in social media posts of their son, whom they sadly lost.

Karen McCollum Has Had a Love for Music from a Young Age

After learning to play music by ear from as young as five, Karen went on to receive formal training at the Sarah Baker School of Music, where she studied the keyboard, the piano, and the organ.

Scottie's ex-wife then spent the next three decades teaching the piano, combining her love of teaching and sharing with others as they started their musical journey. A post about Karen's teaching abilities read:

"She has helped hundreds of students build a solid musical foundation through playing piano."

At the time of writing, Karern, an experienced piano instructor, offered piano lessons on Instagram. In February 2022, she shared a post offering a free beginner's kit to play the piano. In March 2022, she typed in part, "Thinking about starting piano classes? Sign up NOW and reserve your spot to join me for a free LIVE webinar [...]."

Karen McCollum's Ex-husband Had to Let Her Go to Focus On His Career

When Karen's ex-husband — who wasn't too smooth with the ladies — was in his junior year, a friend introduced him to Karen. The couple eventually fell in love, and Scottie admitted to having thoughts of settling down with his college sweetheart.

It's unclear when the couple officially married; however, their divorce was eventually finalized in 1990, despite Scottie admitting that he still adored his first wife at the time. The small forward revealed:

"When I came to the Chicago Bulls in the fall of 1987, I couldn't have been more naïve [...]. The key is to constantly remind yourself that at this point in your life, nothing is more important in this world than basketball. [...] That meant letting go of Karen [...]."

Karen McCollum and Her Ex-husband Lost Their Son

During their marriage, Karen and her ex-husband welcomed a son, Antron. In December of 2017, in honor of Antron's 30th birthday, the piano instructor proved she and Scottie had not ended their relationship on a bitter note, as she tagged the former NBA star in their son's Instagram birthday tribute.

However, after briefly reconciling after breaking the news of their split in 2016, Scottie and Larsa's relationship eventually officially ended.

Karen took another trip down memory lane in May of 2017, as she posted a picture of the family of three in the locker room after the 4th NBA Championship. Sadly, Karen and Scottie had to endure the unexpected death of their son in 2021.

Following Antron's passing, his famous father took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news, and Karen typed in part, "Your wings were ready but my heart wasn't. Son, it has been such a pleasure and honor to be your mother." Karen paid homage to her son again earlier this year, writing, "Still a proud Mama."

How Karen McCollum's Ex-husband Moved On

While it remains to be confirmed if Karen has found love again following her divorce from Scottie Pippen, the former Chicago Bulls player took a second trip down the aisle in 1997 when he married Larsa Pippen.

However, after briefly reconciling after breaking the news of their split in 2016, Scottie and Larsa's relationship eventually officially ended. Their divorce was finalized in 2021 after nearly two decades and welcoming four children.