SEC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

19. Scotty Pippen Jr.

A 6’3 point guard from Los Angeles, Pippen chose Vanderbilt and was recruited by Bryce Drew, though he’d play his entire career under Jerry Stackhouse after Drew’s firing in 2019. The son of an NBA Hall of Famer, Pippen would certainly show his value on the basketball court and become Vanderbilt’s key player across the next three seasons.

During his freshman season, he showed potential with 12.0 points and 3.6 assists per game, but Pippen took a major step forward for year two. Though the Commodores finished in last place in the SEC for a third straight year, Pippen would average 20.8 points and 4.9 assists as a sophomore, including a career-high 36 points against Cincinnati. Vanderbilt would fare better in his junior season, as he’d average 20 points again and lead the Commodores to 19 wins and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.

Pippen’s fantastic scoring years saw him named First Team All-SEC as both a sophomore and junior. He was the scoring leader in the conference in that third and final collegiate season and helped Stackhouse engineer a long-awaited turnaround for the program. Pippen didn’t just ride his last name; he had significant success as the go-to guy with the Commodores. He then turned pro after that junior season.