Who is Scottie Pippen Jr.? Taking a close look at personal and professional life of LA Lakers recruit

Scottie Pippen Jr., the son of the legendary Chicago Bulls player, currently plays for the LA Lakers. No team selected Pippen Jr. in the 2022 NBA draft, however, he still found his way to LA.

Here's everything you need to know about Scottie Pippen Jr.

Vanderbilt v Kentucky

Scottie Maurice Pippen Jr. was born on November 10, 2000, and is the son of the legendary Scottie Pippen. After inheriting his father's name, many would guess that Pippen Jr. will pursue a career in basketball.

He started playing at a young age and in his high school days, Pippen Jr. played for Pine Crest School and Sierra Canyon School. During that time, he was able to play with Kenyon Martin Jr., Marvin Bagley III, and Cassius Stanley.

By the time Pippen Jr. was a senior, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. These numbers are what enticed Vanderbilt University to offer him a spot on their roster.

Scottie Pippen Jr. was a decent basketball player in college. He had an all-round game being an efficient shooter, playmaker and defender. In his three-year college basketball career he averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. He was a good role player for the team, however, these numbers weren't impressive enough for NBA standards.

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Scottie Pippen Jr.'s road to the NBA

Los Angeles Lakers Media Day

Scottie Pippen Jr. is a good player in his own right but just didn't make the cut in the NBA draft. According to Sporting News, he was one of the players invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago earlier this year. At the Combine, Pippen Jr. made a good impression in the scrimmages by showcasing his versatility as a scorer and his ability to put out strong defensive plays.

Even though his name wasn't listed in the mock draft and ultimately did not get called, the LA Lakers took a chance on him. Some might say that the Lakers secured a steal deal. Pippen Jr. signed a two-way contract with the LA Lakers.

A two-way contract means that Pippen Jr. is signed with both the LA Lakers' main roster and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

Pippen Jr. is expected to spend the majority of the 2022–23 season with the Lakers' G League team. The 21-year-old will get time to hone his abilities before he suiting up in the NBA. The Lakers are currently giving him the opportunity to play NBA games in the preseason.

In his LA Lakers preseason debut, one could see Pippen Jr. made the most out of this chance. He made one fadeaway jumpshot and also converted a tough layup with a defender all over him. Pippen Jr. demonstrated his playmaking abilities while securing some defensive stops for his team as well. We can't wait to see more of Scottie Pippen Jr. in the days to come.