Scotty Pippen Jr. knew it would be tough to replicate what his dad, Scottie Pippen, had already accomplished in the NBA. But then again, there is no harm in trying.
Currently, with the Memphis Grizzlies, Scotty has shown that he can contribute to different departments of the game. Hence, it was not surprising to see the point guard achieve his first triple-double back in November, a feat that put him and his dad in the record books.
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“I never thought I would even be in the NBA, let alone making history with my dad,” Scotty admitted on “Run it Back.”
Scotty registered his first triple-double back in November when the Grizzlies faced the Washington Wizards. The Vanderbilt product finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. The feat marked the first time in league history that a father and son each registered a triple-double since Hall of Fame forward Dolph Schayes and his son Danny Schayes did it.
Scotty is writing his own NBA chapter
It was a good start for the 24-year-old guard, who can hopefully improve his game in the coming years. The Grizzlies see his potential, which is why Pippen Jr. was given a standard four-year deal.
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Hence, his success in the league will depend on his dedication and work ethic from this point on. It will take time, but Scotty will eventually get there.
So far, one thing that has helped the young guard is his mindset. Pippen Jr. admits that being the son of a Hall of Famer initially created pressure. However, he has managed to deal with it and move on.
“I feel like the pressure has gone since the further I’ve went in my career cause I just don’t even care about it anymore. You kind of either embrace it….just let it, you know, eat you alive. I think it’s great to have had Dad played in the NBA. It gave me back so much information and so much time, and help me always motivated,” the Vanderbilt University product admitted.
Elder Pippen’s success was not achieved overnight
One thing that Scotty Jr. should take to heart is that his dad did not become a superstar overnight. The elder Pippen had to wait for his break before officially earning his starting spot in 1989.
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Scotty’s situation with the Grizzlies is different. He is playing as a backup to Ja Morant and will only get his share of playing time if the Grizzlies’ franchise player is unable to play for some reason.
The setup should suffice because Pippen Jr. is still in the developmental stages. Making an NBA roster is one thing, but lasting in the league is another. He has shown glimpses of promise, and if Scotty does well, he could be a player teams may target in the future.
This would not be because he is the son of the legendary Pippen. His stat line will be his calling card, especially now that teams prefer a multi-dimensional player on their roster.
Only in his third year, Pippen Jr. has a long way to go. His career averages so far — 10.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game — are decent but certainly lacking. Scotty needs to push himself more, especially if he wants to make a name for himself in the NBA.
Related: “He should’ve laid that ball in” – Charles Barkley blames Scotty Pippen Jr. for Ja’s injury