Larsa Pippen talks to Yahoo about Real Housewives of Miami, her new relationship and why she's in her "thriving" era. (Photo illustration: Aïda Amer for Yahoo News; photo: John Parra/Getty Images for the Berman Team)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."AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI 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.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"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."Photo illustration: Aïda Amer for Yahoo News; photo: MEGA/GC ImagesLarsa 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.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHer 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