Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. spoke out on what it was like to play in his father’s shadow. During a recent interview, the NBA star was questioned about his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. The young football star decided to follow in his father’s footsteps as the Cleveland Browns selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The number of young, upcoming athletes entering the league while being under pressure from their parents’ legacy appears to be growing rapidly. When Pippen was interviewed, he discussed the impact of successful fathers on the younger generation of stars.
Scotty Pippen Jr. Empathizes With Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James
Being the child of a well-established professional athlete can be considered a true double-edged sword. On one hand, the resources, facilities, and mentoring that the young star will have access to will be top-tier. However, the criticism, pressure, and expectations that come with his surname alone might just offset that.
Pippen knows that several young athletes, such as Sanders and even Bronny James, are dealing with the adverse effects of comparing father and son. As the son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, the younger Pippen has a unique perspective on the balance of expectations, the spotlight, nepotism, and more.
The Grizzlies guard joined former NBA stars Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams for a live segment of the show “Run It Back” on Tuesday, April 29, and he spoke on the issue.
“Yeah, I think it’s difficult because people just put a perspective on how they think you move and how they think you act, just because of your dad. You know, I feel like we’re seeing that with Deion Sanders and his son and then LeBron and Bronny. For me, I felt like it was tough because I felt like I wasn’t getting fair treatment. People kinda just overlooked me because of my dad,” Pippen Jr. said.
"We're seeing it with Deion Sanders and Shedeur, LeBron and Bronny…the name might've hurt me more than it helped sometimes."
Scotty Pippen Jr. talks the expectations of being someone like Scottie Pippen's son 🗣️@spippenjr | @MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/lJtLItKzI5
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 29, 2025
“I felt like the name might have hurt me more than it helped me sometimes, and it’s unfair for us. But I feel like at the end of the day, all the three kids you named are doing well.”
There is no getting around the fact that Pippen made a very valid point. Players with fathers who have found great success in the sport feel a lot of pressure and expectations. If they are unable to live up to those expectations, they are overlooked or fall victim to unnecessary criticism from the media and fans.
While that could certainly be considered unfair, these young men decided to follow in their parents’ footsteps with full knowledge that these comparisons would linger in the air. As a result, they have no choice but to continue moving forward despite the criticism.