Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr., always feeling undervalued, has chance to prove worth

The name on the back of Scotty Pippen Jr.'s basketball jersey carries a legacy.

His father, Scottie, was a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls. Scotty was born in 2000, when his father played for the Portland Trail Blazers during another near-championship run.

But even with the last name entrenched in the basketball world, the Memphis Grizzlies' point guard feels underrated.

“Every level I’ve been at, I’ve been doubted,” Pippen said. “Even though I’ve succeeded and done well. In high school I was under-recruited even though I was on the top high school team and one of the top players on my team.”

He wasn’t an elite recruit when he ended up at Vanderbilt. His profile never reached the heights that matched his performances. The 6-foot-1 point guard was a two-time All-SEC player, and he averaged at least 20 points and 4.5 assists in his sophomore and junior seasons before making the jump to the NBA in 2022.

Pippen went undrafted.

The G League was a similar theme. He spent his first two years playing primarily with the South Bay Lakers, averaging more than 20 points and five assists each season. He played six games with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season.

“I still ask myself why I went under-recruited, why I’m undervalued,” Pippen told The Commercial Appeal last month. “At every level, I have succeeded. I don’t know why. It just keeps me motivated.”

Pippen now has a chance to prove himself on a roster filled with players who have similar tales in their basketball journeys. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane were not the most sought-after recruits. Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson were second-round picks who have clawed their way to bigger NBA opportunities.

Unlike those players, Pippen is quieter. A lot of that is because of how he grew up around the NBA.

“He's got a quiet demeanor out there, but he kind of also has this just kind of ferocity,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said in February. “I don't know how to describe it. I'm still learning him.”

Memphis has proven to be a place where players get legitimate opportunities on two-way contracts. Pippen has averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists in eight games. He shot 47.5% from the field and 56.5% on 3-pointers with 1.6 makes per game.

A back injury in February halted his initial progress, but the Grizzlies are hopeful that he returns this week.

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Memphis has to address its backup point guard depth going forward. Morant is the long-term starter, but Marcus Smart’s better play off the ball suggests the Grizzlies could benefit from adding one more point guard to the 15-man roster next season.

Pippen’s play before his back injury was the start. Jenkins was encouraged by his ability to organize the offense and play in pick and rolls.

After a basketball life in which Pippen believes his opportunities haven’t met production, maybe Memphis will be the place that rewards him.

“I think he's got potential as a playmaker,” Jenkins said. “He can get to the paint, spray out, obviously shot the ball well from the 3-point line . . . (we) want to continue to encourage him to do that and grow that part of his game.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. still feels underrated