Forgotten big-name Michigan guard is crossing enemy lines to play for Ohio State

Former Wolverines guard Justin Pippen is back in the Big Ten, and he's playing for the enemy.

The son of six-time NBA champion and Basketball Hall of Famer, Scottie Pippen, spent last year with Cal and enjoyed a breakout season, averaging 14.2 points and 4.6 assists per game. He decided to jump back into the transfer portal and will play for Ohio next year, giving the Buckeyes some reinforcements at guard. 

Pippen was a four-star recruit coming out of Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles. There were rumors that he was leaning toward signing with Cal out of high school, but decided to be part of Dusty May's first recruiting class. It was clear that Pippen was a young player with some talent, but he wasn't able to find much time on the floor and was generally used in garbage time. Pippen found the playing time he wanted at Cal and did some decent things, but remains a work in progress.

Justin Pippen has worked way back into the Big Ten

One of the primary reasons that Pippen probably didn't have much of a future at Michigan is because he's a very erratic shooter. Pippen shot 37 percent from the floor this season and 32 percent on 3-pointers. He needed time on the floor to try to improve his game, but May wanted more immediate production from his guards, so he went out and got Elliot Cadeau in the portal from North Carolina and brought in Trey McKenney as the centerpiece of the 2025 recruiting class. And I feel safe in saying those moves worked out pretty well.

Whether the Buckeyes turn out to be the right fit for Pippen remains to be seen, but things are all good in Ann Arbor right now and Ohio State could use some help. The Wolverines will catch you down the road.