New Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May has his first pledge, and it’s a gem … Chatsworth (Cali.) Sierra Canyon’s Justin Pippen. Pippen, son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and brother of Scotty Pippen Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) pledged to the Wolverines Friday afternoon. The Wolverines beat out Florida, Stanford, Cal, and Texas A&M to land him.
A 2024 recruit, Pippen was a late addition to the visit list last weekend but enjoyed his trip, so much so that On3’s Jamie Shaw logged an RPM prediction in Michigan’s favor. Pippen is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and brother NBA guard Scottie Pippen, Jr.
“Much like his brother, Justin Pippen is a later bloomer,” Shaw wrote in February. “He has always been a good athlete and an aggressive basketball player at the point of attack … however, this high school season he has sprouted up to 6-foot-3.
“The Chatsworth (Cali.) Sierra Canyon guard has produced some big outputs this season. However, the efficiency and processing are questions. Of the 12 games that Synergy has charted this season, Pippen is averaging 14.8 points while shooting 37.1 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three. In that span, he is also averaging 5.8 assists with a 3.00 assist-to-turnover while averaging 2.3 steals. The eye test will show you a guard with good size, who is comfortable with the ball in his hands and has no trouble touching the paint.”
Pippen is currently No. 103 in the On3 industry ranking, but rising. He visited Michigan last weekend, after which On3’s Jamie Shaw logged an On3 RPM prediction in U-M’s favor.
“I chose Michigan because my long-term goal is to make the NBA,” he told On3. “Michigan is great for my development and playing on that big of a stage in that conference is great for me.”
May is hitting the portal and the prep ranks hard in search of talent for his 2024-25 Michigan team. Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy’s Khani Rooths, a former U-M pledge, is still in play, as are several from other schools. Auburn’s Tre Donaldson is in today, while Ohio State guard Roddy Gayle, North Texas’ Rubin Jones, and Appalachian State big man Justin Abson are due in this weekend.
Watch for more on Michigan basketball and recruiting in the days and weeks to come …
