'They Had Issues': Larsa Pippen Defends Dating Malik Beasley, Insists His Marriage To Montana Yao Wasn't An 'Ideal Situation'

Telling her side of the story! Larsa Pippen is speaking out about her affair with NBA star Malik Beasley and explaining why she decided to date the athlete knowing he was still married. 

“We had spoken about it. It wasn’t a secret,” Pippen said on the “Hollywood Unlocked” podcast about the conversation she had with Beasley regarding his marital status. “I know a lot of people that are married and exiting. I’ve played that part. So for me, if you’re not being shady and you’re telling me all your stuff, I’m going to believe you.” 

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The former Real Housewives of Miami star added: “A lot of people are not happy in their situation and they don’t want to jump ship until they see someone they like,” noting that she did her research on Beasley’s relationship status. “I Googled them when I first met him… they weren’t together. They had issues before. It had nothing to do with me, so I wasn’t thinking about it. If you spent a minute Googling their situation, it wasn’t the ideal situation way before me.” 

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The 46-year-old entrepreneur asked, “What’s the point of taking a beating over a guy I had just started talking to?” Still, she stressed that “it was really stupid. I just feel like I need to do a better job of not being public with my situation. I wasn’t trying to be public with this situation, but it just went and happened that way.” 

As OK! previously reported, Pippen and Beasley were busted holding hands while in an airport in Miami. Immediately after photos emerged of the two, Beasley’s wife, Montana Yao, took to social media to voice her shock that her husband would cheat on her. 

“Wow… I don’t even know this man,” she wrote on her Instagram Story at the time. “This is wild y’all. I’m seeing it for the first time just like y’all. The truth always comes out one way or another… I’ve always and will forever remain true to who I am and GOD has never let me down.” 

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The 23-year-old model immediately filed for divorce after seeing the pictures of Beasley with the former reality TV star. Yao and Beasley got married in March 2020 after welcoming their son, Makai, one year prior.

Pippen took to Instagram on December 27, 2020, to swear that she thought Beasley was emotionally available when they got together. “I’ve been separated going thru a divorce for over 2 years and I’ve been linked to a few guys my entire life so don’t sit here and paint a picture of me that isn’t true,” she wrote. “Malik and his ex were separated before I ever met him, that's a fact.” 

Yao chimed in and dismissed Pippen’s claims. “This is 100% false. Continue to speak on my name and my relationship and we’re going to have issues. Receipts don’t lie. Let’s not go there. I think you’ve embarrassed yourself enough already,” she wrote.