Scottie Pippen vs. Scotty Pippen Jr.: Comparison of college and NBA stats, records, achievements and more

We relive what it’s like to have a Pippen in the league again. Scotty Pippen Jr. emerged as a promising star in college, but even he got off to a slow start in the NBA until he arrived in Memphis and is now the NBA kid to watch outside of the Lakers. To cap off his new contract with the Grizzlies, Scotty recorded an epic double-double against – wait for it – the Chicago Bulls. His father’s old team came out on top by a slim margin of 123-126, but the star of the show was Scotty Pippen Jr.

Now that Scottie and Larsa Pippen’s eldest son is finally earning his keep, comparisons to his six-time NBA champion father are inevitable. Scottie Pippen in particular was a breakout star from college to the draft. This is where the father-son duo differs the most.

The Pippens emerge as understated stars

In some ways, both Scottie Pippen and his son had a similar start to their collegiate careers thirty years later. The Arkansas native caught the attention of head coach Don Dyer, who recruited him as a walk-on to the University of Central Arkansas, an NAIA team, in 1983. There was no media hype surrounding Pippen Sr. at the time. as NCAA recruits. received. As a reserve, he averaged 4.3 points per game.

That was until he grew to 6-foot-4 and became a dominant presence on the field. Foreshadowing his career alongside Michael Jordan, Pippen averaged 23.6 points, 10 rebounds, 4.3 assists and nearly 60 percent field goal percentage in his senior year. He finished his college career with consensus NAIA All-American honors in 1986 and 1987. In his entire college career, Pippen averaged 16.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.9 SPG; and 54.2% FG.

Unlike his father, Scotty Pippen Jr. not out of nowhere and he took a relatively unknown basketball program to a higher level. The spotlight has always been on him and his siblings since high school. He wasn’t born when his father was winning NBA championships and his style was very different. The Bulls legend was one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history, while Scotty Jr.’s focus was on a combination of defense and shooting as a guard.

When he committed to Vanderbilt in 2019, expectations were heavy on Scotty. He played 32 games in his freshman season, averaging just 12 points per game. He would eventually grow into his body and find his feet. By junior year, Scotty averaged 20.4 points per game, which led the SEC. He has one of the highest assists records in Vanderbilt history, was All-SEC First Team and 2022 Tennessee Sports Writers Association State Player of the Year. According to NCAA data, Scotty Jr averaged 15.6 PPG, 4.1 APG, 2.8 RPG; and 41.1% FG.

Pippen Jr. gives Scottie Pippen vibes

By the time both Pippens declared for the NBA Draft, 35 years apart, both seemed in good shape. Scottie Pippen’s rise in the NAIA had caught the attention of NBA scouts. As history goes, the Chicago Bulls acquired Pippen via Seattle and selected him fifth overall in the 1987 Draft.

For his child it was a different story. The 6’1″ guard impressed in the 2022 NBA combine at Wintrust Arena, not far from the United Center where his father spent his prime. He led one game with 21 points, 3 assists and 2 steals. But he wasn’t selected in the 2022 Draft (nor was Shaq’s son, Shareef O’Neal). He signed a two-way contract with the Lakers and ended up in the G-League.

The South Bay Lakers were apparently good for his development. By the time he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in January 2024, he was a new and improved player.

For Sr., in his first two seasons, The Pip emerged as Michael Jordan’s perfect sidekick. He was a starter very early in his NBA debut and enabled the Bulls to reach the playoffs three years in a row. With career-high records, he became an All-Star in 1990.

Scotty has impressed two years since entering the draft, going from an afterthought to a key player on a shorthanded Grizzlies roster. In October, he parlayed his two-way contract into a four-year deal with the Grizzlies. In one of his first games as a standard contract player, Scotty came off the bench and finished with 14 points, 10 assists and a block and steal each. Just as his father was the most reliable Robin in NBA history, Scotty Pippen Jr. looking like one of the best backup guards in the league.