After a middling season that saw them reach the NIT, the Cal Golden Bears basketball team will be losing one of its top performers from this past season - and someone with a very famous surname.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Cal guard Justin Pippen - the third son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen - has decided to transfer to Ohio State. The sophomore averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 32 games for Cal this past season.
"NEWS: Cal guard Justin Pippen is committing to transfer to Ohio State, per his agents at WME Basketball. He’s a sophomore who averaged 14.2 points per game this year and had 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He’s the son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen," Thamel wrote on X.
On the move
This isn't the first time that Pippen has entered the transfer portal, nor is it the first time that he's joining a Big Ten school.
Ohio State fans might just barely remember Pippen as a bench player for their arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, during the 2024-25 season. He played against Ohio State just once during that season, recording two rebounds and one assist in an 86-83 Michigan win.
But Dusty May didn't give Pippen any starts as a freshman, so he decided to take his talents to the West Coast, where Mark Madsen was happy to name him a starter.
Now that he has a proper year of starting experience under his belt, Buckeyes coach Jake Diebler might be willing to give him the starting minutes in the Big Ten that he craves.
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Pippen's father needs no introduction. Scottie Pippen is one of the best small forwards in NBA history and his pairing with Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls formed one of the greatest dynasties in the history of American sports.
Justin's older brother Scotty Jr. had a prolific college basketball career of his own and is now a regular on the Memphis Grizzlies' lineup (when he isn't hurt). His other older brother Preston Pippen chose to go into entertainment rather than basketball.
