Former Cal Guard Justin Pippen Returning to the Big Ten

At Cal, Pippen averaged 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals, leading the Bears in the two latter categories. He had 18 games of at least 14 points, matching his career-high with 24 points against SMU.

Thamel suggested Buckeyes’ second-year coach Jake Diebler already knows how he plans to utilize Pippen.

“He projects a combo guard at Ohio State and is expected to take a role similar to Devin Royal, who has transferred out,” Thamel wrote.

Royal, a junior forward, averaged 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds last season for Ohio State, which was 21-13 this season and finished eighth in the Big Ten with a 12-8 slate. The Buckeyes earned their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2022, losing 66-64 to TCU in the first round.

Pippen, the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, played point guard for the Bears, alongside rising senior guard Dai Dai Ames, who also has entered the transfer portal. Ames, who came to Cal after one-year stints at Kansas State and Virginia, averaged a career-best and team-leading 16.9 points for the Bears.

Small forward Rytis Petraitis, who missed much of this past season due to injury, also plans to transfer. 

Forwards Chris Bell (14.2 points) and John Camden (13.8 points) were both seniors this season, so the Bears will move forward without their four leading scorers from a 22-12 team that played in the NIT.