After averaging 14.2 points per game in his lone season with the California Golden Bears, Justin Pippen is headed to Ohio State. The guard is the son of six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen.
After a breakout sophomore season at Cal, Pippen will now look to take the next step in his college basketball career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, who play in the Big Ten Conference.
Justin Pippen Commits to Ohio State Transfer
Pippen was one of the notable names to watch in the transfer portal as he looked for his third college in as many years. He played a key role in Cal’s run to the second round of the NIT this season, starting 32 games and averaging 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
The 20-year-old is now headed to Ohio State for his junior year, and becomes the team’s first commitment of the transfer portal. The news of the commitment was shared by Pete Thamel of ESPN.
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. pic.twitter.com/zsqVEp2Mlp
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 10, 2026
“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,” he wrote on X.
Pippen began his college career with the Michigan Wolverines, before moving to Cal for his sophomore year. He was the Golden Bears’ second-highest scorer and led the team in assists and steals. The California native will hope to become more efficient after shooting 37.0% from the field and 32.7% from beyond the arc this season.
He will is following in the footsteps of his father, who became an NBA legend with the Chicago Bulls. The seven-time NBA All-Star was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Justin’s older brother, Scotty Pippen Jr., is also an NBA player who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies.
MORE: College Basketball 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker: Complete List of Players Who Are Available
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler wanted to strengthen his backcourt following his team’s first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes lost to the TCU Horned Frogs in what was their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2022.
Ohio State has since lost Devin Royal to the transfer portal while Bruce Thornton has exhausted his eligibility, and Pippen is now set to replace him. His playmaking could be a crucial asset for the Buckeyes as they look to improve on last year’s eighth place finish in the Big Ten.
