Crypto Gloss

Scottie Pippen

Definition: Scottie Pippen is a Hall of Fame NBA player best known as Michael Jordan’s teammate on the six-championship Chicago Bulls dynasty, who joined Kim Kardashian and Floyd Mayweather in promoting EthereumMax (EMAX) on social media in June 2021 and was subsequently named in investor class action lawsuits.

Crypto Involvement

EthereumMax Promotion (2021)

  • Floyd Mayweather’s boxing exhibition vs. Logan Paul, where EMAX was used as the payment method for tickets
  • Kim Kardashian’s widely visible Instagram Story EMAX promotion
  • A cluster of celebrity endorsements designed to create viral social proof for the token

EMAX was branded as a “community-driven” token riding on Ethereum’s name recognition but was unrelated to Ethereum. After the celebrity promotion cluster, EMAX briefly pumped before declining sharply. Investors who bought based on the promotions suffered significant losses.

Class Action Lawsuit

  • They were paid to promote EMAX without adequate disclosure
  • Their combined social media reach materially influenced retail investors
  • They should have conducted due diligence on a speculative token they were promoting to fans

A federal judge initially dismissed the case in 2023, citing jurisdiction limitations and other procedural grounds. Appeals followed.

Unlike Kardashian, Pippen did not separately settle with the SEC — the primary enforcement action was against Kardashian specifically (who had the largest disclosed payment and Instagram reach). Pippen faced litigation rather than SEC action specifically.

Timeline

  • June 2021 — EthereumMax promoted by Pippen, Kardashian, and Mayweather.
  • June 2021 — EMAX price pumped then began to decline.
  • July 2021–2022 — EMAX collapsed; investor losses compounded.
  • 2022 — Investor class action filed naming Pippen et al.
  • Oct 2022 — SEC charged Kardashian specifically; Pippen was not separately named by SEC.
  • 2023 — Class action initially dismissed; appeals continued.
  • 2024 — Pippen continued basketball commentary activities; ongoing legal exposure uncertain.

Controversies

  • Legacy contrast — Pippen is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and as a famously underpaid player (relative to his talent) during the Bulls dynasty. His involvement in a celebrity token promotion is seen as out-of-character by his fan base.
  • EthereumMax’s obvious hype signals — Cryptocurrency researchers at the time noted that EMAX’s name (leveraging Ethereum brand association), anonymous team, and sudden celebrity promotion cluster were textbook warning signs that were either ignored or uninvestigated.

Social Media Sentiment

The EMAX involvement is broadly seen as a low point for Pippen’s post-basketball public image. Sports fans separate his basketball legacy from the crypto controversy; consumer advocates use his case as an example of how sports credibility can be misused in financial promotions.

Related Terms

Last updated: 2026-04