"This place helped me make my dream come true.” Scotty Pippen Jr. Embraces Vanderbilt Despite Staff Change

Nashville–It’s been three seasons, a few NBA teams, a new practice facility and a coaching change since Scotty Pippen Jr. left the floor after his 28-point performance against Xavier fell short and ended his illustrious college career, yet there he was sitting on a stool in Vanderbilt’s Huber Center like he never left.

Pippen hosted his two-day basketball camp on Vanderbilt’s campus over the weekend and worked out on the Huber Center floor after with former Vanderbilt standouts Tyrin Lawrence, Ezra Manjon and Jordan Wright. This place has changed a lot since Pippen opted to leave in favor of the NBA Draft after his junior season, but it’s still special to him.

“I feel like this is [special] because it’s kind of when my journey started,” Pippen told Vandy on SI. “Although the coaches changed, the fans and the people are still the same and I still feel like this is still like a second home, family.”

Pippen hasn’t been back to Vanderbilt since his playing career and before its groundbreaking of the Huber Center, but he says he wishes Vanderbilt would’ve had it “a couple years earlier,” that he’ll “get some work in” there and will “really get used to it.”

The two-time All-SEC guard is an example of Vanderbilt’s open-armed approach towards its former players. It’s been a week of that on Vanderbilt’s campus as Mark Byington addressed alumni on a Zoom call and Vanderbilt assistants appear to have embraced Pippen and his former teammates despite not coaching them.

Pippen is one of Vanderbilt’s four active NBA players and is coming off his third professional season–his second of which with the Memphis Grizzlies–where he appears to have found a role greater than any he’s had in the past. He’ll always remember being Vanderbilt’s go-to guy for a few seasons under Jerry Stackhouse, though.

He’ll also remember all the good times, like his 32-point outing in an NIT win over Dayton, Vanderbilt’s slow resurgence after Bryce Drew left it winless in SEC play prior to his freshman year and all the awards he stacked up.

“I made a lot of memories here,” Pippen said. “It’s a surreal feeling to come here to play just because I grew up so much here as a man. I had a crazy career here, so I’ve enjoyed [being back].”

The former Vanderbilt guard’s camp ran Saturday and Sunday after it stopped down in Memphis on July 31. Pippen has a significant fanbase in Memphis, but felt his impact on Vanderbilt’s campus over the weekend.

Pippen hosted a meet and greet with campers and was present at Saturday’s National Commodore Club event, where he was embraced. Perhaps the former Vanderbilt guard never made it to the NCAA Tournament, but that wasn’t top of mind as he intermingled with Vanderbilt’s fanbase prior to a workout and pickup game.

Those fans remembered Pippen’s ability to take over a game like few other Vanderbilt players in recent memory appeared to have. They remember how absurd it seemed to be that he wasn’t heavily recruited. They thought about how he’s one of the few players proudly representing them as an NBA player. Pippen wants those fans to know that he feels that.

“Going back here to see the praise that all the people gave me,” Pippen said. “It’s a good feeling to come back and to give back to the community.”

Despite the staff that recruited him no longer being at Vanderbilt, Pippen still believes he’s got plenty to give back to it.

Pippen’s ability likely would’ve worked things out for him in the end, but his ability to run the show for Vanderbilt as a focal point is unique. It’s especially unique for a player with a lack of power-five offers like him. He’s not forgetting about that or his time as Vanderbilt’s go-to guy, either.

“I’m thankful,” Pippen said. “This place helped me make my dream come true.”