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    COLUMN: Scotty Pippen Jr. eager to make own name in NBA

    Being a son of NBA legend not a burden
    Feb 18, 2023
    Scotty Pippen Jr. Lakers
    PHOTO: LA Lakers
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    SALT LAKE CITY -- If not for the freakishly athletic and impossibly long Victor Wembanyana, the No.1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft this June would have easily been Scoot Henderson.

    Still, being No. 2 behind a generational talent like Wembanyama ain't bad considering Henderson would still get a rookie contract that is guaranteed for at least three years and pays at least $8.2 million per.

    Henderson was a five-star recruit and megastar out of Carlton J. Kell high school in Marietta, Georgia. Only 19 years young, the 6-foot-2, 196-pound guard is using the G League Ignite as the trampoline for his NBA flight.

    I watched Henderson practice for the Rising Stars Challenge today and I found him to be so easy on the eyes.

    Funky. Frisky. Fabulous.

    And while I was absolutely mesmerized by Henderson's potential, I was drawn to one other player on the floor.

    Scotty Pippen Jr.

    Like movie sequels that rarely measure up to the original, NBA sons almost always never live up to their fathers' legacies.

    It's this layer of intrigue that seduced me to peel deeper into Pippen's journey.

    WHAT'S IN A NAME?

    Carrying a famous last name can be a burden in a way that it makes the person a prisoner of other people's expectations.

    Ralph Sampson III, Glen Rice Jr., Patrick Ewing Jr., Shawn Kemp Jr. and David Stockton are just few of the many names that have been shredded in the extra large bin of unmet promise.

    The younger Pippen not only hopes to avoid the curse, he cherishes the good fortune of having basketball royalty associated with his name.

    Scotty Pippen Jr. on living up to name

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    "The name is a blessing. It's all I know, it's all I'm used to. I wouldn't consider it a burden," he told me.

    Unlike his father, a 6-foot-8, 227-pound wing who was selected fifth overall in the 1987 NBA draft, Scotty Jr., who is a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, went undrafted this year.

    All of that doesn't bother young Scotty. The Sierra Canyon high alum is determined to carry his NBA dreams on the wings of his resolve.

    Pippen is currently on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers where he splits time with their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, and I asked him what it's like to be part of the glitz and glamour of the NBA's most popular franchise.

    CENTER OF ATTENTION

    "Playing for the Lakers is a huge spotlight but growing up I've always been in the spotlight so I don't think it's anything new to me. It's definitely different being in the most famous team playing with guys like LeBron and AD, guys that are super high profile. So it's definitely been an eye-opening experience for me."

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    At age 22, without a clearly defined role or established roster spot in a league where stars are born young, there is a high probability that this NBA thing may not work out.

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      But there's also a higher probability that Scotty Pippen Jr. will win in the game of life.

      He is wise and well-spoken, and with the luxury of a college education at Vanderbilt, having a famous last name will come in handy if he ever needs doors to open for other opportunities.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: LA Lakers
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