After years of persistent pain and surgery, Scotty Pippen Jr. finally feels healthy, returning to the court with newfound freedom and a celebrated homecoming.
Scotty Pippen Jr. finally felt like himself again Friday night, and for the first time in years, it had nothing to do with pushing through pain.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard returned to the lineup in a 135–115 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center, starting his first game of the season after undergoing surgery on his left big toe in October. Pippen Jr. finished with 13 points and six assists in 22 minutes, closing a chapter defined by more than three years of constant discomfort and daily pain management.
The road back was long and, at times, unavoidable. After exhausting every conservative option, surgery became the only solution.
“Physically, I feel much better,” Pippen Jr. said. “I feel like I’m finally healthy.”
That feeling had been missing for most of his NBA career. Pippen Jr. fractured his toe during the predraft process of his rookie year in 2022 and was initially told it was turf toe. The expectation was that rest would solve the issue. Instead, the pain followed him through multiple seasons, including his emergence into a steady rotation role with Memphis.
“No, I was never healthy,” Pippen Jr. said. “I was playing on a broken toe.”
Game days became exercises in endurance. Pippen Jr. relied on pain medication before games and ice baths afterward just to manage symptoms. Walking barefoot was difficult. Over time, compensating for the injury began affecting his other foot, a warning sign that forced a decision he had delayed as long as possible.
“I ended up getting the bone out of my whole toe,” he said. “So feeling good now.”
The Grizzlies announced on Oct. 18 that Pippen Jr. would undergo a sesamoidectomy, a procedure that removes one of the small bones beneath the big toe joint. The recovery sidelined him for the first 49 games of the season and introduced him to a level of inactivity he had never experienced.
“I’ve never sat out that long,” Pippen Jr. said. “I’ve never had surgery. I’ve never had an injury that severe.”
Rather than disengage, Pippen Jr. used the time to expand his impact in other ways. He stayed vocal on the bench, studied film and leaned into the mental side of the game while rehabbing alongside teammates dealing with injuries of their own.
“Obviously it was tough on me,” he said. “But I was able to sit back and learn a lot, too.”
His return carried personal significance beyond basketball. Portland is where Pippen Jr. was born toward the end of his father’s playing career, and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen was in attendance to see his son take the floor again.
“I think it’s kind of crazy just how it all lined up,” Pippen Jr. said. “Having my pops in town and all that.”
On the court, the difference was immediate. Pippen Jr. moved freely, pushed off his left foot without hesitation and played without the restrictions that had shaped his game for years.
“I feel way better,” he said. “I’m able to run up and down the court. I can run around without pain. I can push off my toe and bend my toe. Before, I wasn’t able to get in a lunge position. I really couldn’t put weight on my foot.”
The Grizzlies, adjusting to roster changes and still without Ja Morant, were unable to match Portland’s balance and depth. Jerami Grant scored 23 points for the Blazers, who snapped a six-game losing streak, while eight Portland players finished in double figures.
For Pippen Jr., however, the night stood apart from the result. After years of playing through something he could never fully escape, the return marked a reset.
“It’s been a long journey,” he said. “A long rehab. I’m excited to be back.”