Despite a tough couple of seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the brightest developments for the franchise has been the emergence of Scotty Pippen Jr. Battling through a stretch where the Grizzlies have been riddled with injuries to key players like Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, Pippen Jr. has steadily grown into a reliable contributor.
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The 24-year-old has taken full advantage of the opportunities given to him. His growth as an athlete was on full display during the first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With their backs against the wall against the best team in the league, Pippen Jr. delivered back-to-back career performances. In Game 3, Pippen Jr. had 28 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He was also the leading scorer for his team, shooting 8 of 16 from the field, 6 of 10 from distance.
In Game 4, Pippen Jr. finished with a double-double in a losing cause. He scored 30 points with 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Once again, he was the best player on his team. Despite his efforts, the Grizzlies suffered their fourth consecutive loss and were eliminated from the playoffs. However, Pippen Jr. has given enough reasons to his mother to celebrate.
After his recent performance, Larsa Pippen took to Instagram to heap praise on the 24-year-old. She posted several stories highlighting his career-high 30-point game. She wrote, “I’m so proud of my son. He’s one of the best point guards in the league! You had a great season, my love.”
Larsa Pippen loved her son's career high performance pic.twitter.com/ohLYIDNPTL
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) April 27, 2025
This was Pippen Jr.’s first full NBA season. In 79 regular-season games, he averaged 9.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. But when the pressure went up in the playoffs, he showed his true character. Pippen Jr. averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 4 games.
After the Game 4 loss, when he was asked to share his thoughts on the last two games, he said, “I feel like I’ve been working for this my whole life. To finally get this platform and finally get this opportunity…take the best advantage of it. Just trying to show that I belong.”
In the preparation for the next season, the Grizzlies will have one more dependable player on their roster. In addition to that, Pippen Jr. might also generate interest from other teams in the offseason after his playoff performances.
