Alright, basketball junkies, gather ’round for a tale of hoops history in the making!
Ja Morant’s Courtside Assist
Even though Ja Morant was sidelined with an injury, he still managed to dish out a game-changing assist from his courtside seat. During Friday’s showdown against the Wizards, Ja casually informed his Grizzlies teammates that Scottie Pippen Jr. was just two assists shy of snagging his first-ever triple-double. Only Santi Aldama caught the message, but he wasn’t sure if the magic number referred to assists or rebounds. As Memphis dominated with a 29-point lead, Coach Jenkins wasn’t planning to keep Pippen Jr. on the floor much longer.
Pippen Jr.’s Triple-Double Triumph
Just moments later, Scottie Jr. passed to Jaren Jackson Jr., who nailed a bucket, marking assist number nine. Then, Aldama received a slick pass from Scottie, slicing through the defense like butter, and took off for a dunk. And just like that, history was made. The Pippensโfather and sonโbecame the first duo in NBA history to record triple-doubles.
Bleacher Report captured the moment:
Scottie Pippen & Scotty Pippen Jr. become the FIRST father-son duo in NBA history to record triple-doubles
โ Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
In my opinion, this is one of those moments that makes you love basketball even more. It’s like watching a legacy unfold right before your eyes.
Family Ties and Basketball Dreams
After the game, Santi Aldama shared his thoughts: โWe were just trying to get him the two assists, obviously. At the end, I was just looking at him because I was the only man down there. So Iโm like, how the (expletive) can I get you an assist? So, I just ran.โ Classic Santi, always keeping it real.
Scottie Jr. finished with 11 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, echoing his dadโs legendary career. “Crazy,” he said about the achievement. “I donโt know if I have any words to describe how that feels. Just making history is always a great thing.”
Jaren Jackson Jr., another NBA legacy, chimed in on the significance: โItโs beautiful for the game. I bet the league loves that. โฆ I got a jersey swap with my dad. Stuff like that is huge for the family.โ
Ballin’ and Keepin’ the Ball
Pippen Jr. wasn’t even slated to start until 90 minutes before tip-off when Ja Morant’s absence was confirmed. “I just wanted to go out there and run the team,” Scottie Jr. explained. Now, with the game ball in hand, he’s not letting it go without a fight. “They not getting this one,” he joked. “They might get a replica.”
After the final buzzer, Scottie Jr. hung onto the ball in the locker room, waiting for his teammates to sign it. But he had to rush out because the other half of this historic momentโhis dadโwas waiting to celebrate with him. “He (is) outside waiting on me, so I got to get out there,” he said.
So, what do you think, folks? Will we see more father-son duos making waves in the NBA, or is this a once-in-a-lifetime moment?
