Son of Chicago Bulls legend, Scottie Pippen Jr., is turning the heads of fans during the NBA Summer League.
The former Vanderbilt point guard made his debut during the Summer League exhibition event known as the California Classic. Many who watched these matches between the Warriors, Lakers, Kings, and Heat did so with the intention of getting a first look at several first round picks.
Among them Keegan Murray, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. While many came for Murray and fellow up-and-comer Nikola Jović it was hard not be impressed by the Lakers’ Scottie Pippen Jr. Scottie Pippen Jr.’s name may not have been as fresh as some of the others, but that by no means he played a forgettable game. While not exceptionally flashy or a triple-double Scottie Pippen Jr. gave a solid performance. His game was certainly more on point than most might have guessed.
Scottie Pippen Jr.’s Performance
Despite Scottie Pippen Jr. going undrafted he was given a chance by the Lakers. The Lakers struggled this past season and missed a playoff appearance, many fans and analysts think that new young talent could be the remedy the ailing team is in search of. While the young player is far from a cure all for the Lakers fans should still be optimistic given his numbers.
In a match against the Warriors Summer League squad Scottie put up 15 points and 8 assists with 20 minutes of play time, helping the Lakers win 100 to 77. A very solid score given the lack of experienced players in Summer League and the reduced time for games, 40 minutes as opposed to the standard 48. This is sure to be only the beginning of Scottie’s summertime successes.
NBA Summer League kicks off in full July 7th and lasts until the 17th. Despite many young talented players vying for the attention of fans and NBA bigwigs it is doubtful that Pippen will go unnoticed given the solid performances he gave in San Francisco. Many die hard Chicago Bulls fans will undoubtedly direct most of their attention on 18th overall draft pick Dalen Terry. However, it would serve them well to also tune into some the Lakers matches to catch a glimpse of the kid in action.
Scottie Pippen Jr. Living In the Shadow of a Legend
Chicago fans should watch with optimism as the son of the greatest Bulls players blossoms into a solid performer in his own right. While it is true that at this point it is impossible to predict the trajectory of Jr.’s career there is no reason to become negative. Many Bulls fans might become upset to see to see the son of a Chicago Legend playing for another team. However, they should allow Scottie Pippen Jr. to live his own life and carve out his own niche in the basketball world.
As hard as it may be for some to realize Scottie Pippen Jr. is not his father. His career will be vastly different. Jr. plays in a league so different that despite the obvious desire to do so it is impossible to ever try and compare him to father. In fact, it is almost certainly a bad idea to do something like that. It is certainly no small task to try and excel as the son of an all-time great player Pippen might just have the mental fortitude, wherewithal, and tenacity to do so.
However, all of that is far in the future, and shouldn’t really be worried about now in the present. At this point it is best to watch and enjoy the myriad of young talent demonstrating their skills right now Scottie Pippen Jr. included.
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
