As Tuomas Iisalo's Memphis Grizzlies kick off their training camp, the air is thick with competition, camaraderie, and a palpable sense of urgency. After a rollercoaster 2024-25 season that saw the team navigate a late-season coaching change and playoff heartbreak, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s Grizzlies are embracing a fresh start. At the heart of this reset is Scotty Pippen Jr., whose breakout finish last year has reinforced a quiet confidence for the 24-year-old.
While specific tactical details remain under wraps, the Grizzlies have clearly embraced Iisalo's approach as they look to rebound from recent seasons hampered by injuries and unmet expectations. There is also a fierce determination to lock down a consistent role amid the “super intense” training camp battles. Pippen Jr. knows the process well and is staying positive as much as possible, though some trash talk is required.
“(Training camp) has been good. There is a lot of trash talk, but it's also healthy at the same time,” Pippen Jr. joked. “Guys are out there competing for jobs and trying to make each other better. It's super competitive. Everyone's going at it, trying to win every drill…It's been super intense. Even talking to (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), and if it was intense for a vet like him, it's going to be new for me as well.”
Iisalo's injury-plagued Grizzlies need the old Pippen Jr. back soon. From March 1 through the end of the regular season (21 games, two coaches), Pippen Jr. averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting an efficient 50.5% from the field and a scorching 48.5% from three. His impact peaked in the first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he posted 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals-plus-blocks per game.
On a per-36-minute basis during that late-season surge, Pippen Jr. outpaced several interdivisional rivals, including Jordan Hawkins, Jose Alvarado, Spencer Dinwiddie, Klay Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and even future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. For a team desperate for consistent guard play, Pippen Jr. proved that steady minutes translate to starter-level production.
To his credit, Pippen Jr. is quick to acknowledge that the path to that success wasn't linear.
“I feel confident after last year. Even though I went through that little slump, not to make any excuses, but I was going through different roles and changes,” Pippen told ClutchPoints. “There were some DNPs, some games not playing as much. I feel like that kind of affected me mentally.”
The experience taught him valuable lessons.
“So this year, it's going into (training camp) with a level head,” explained Pippen Jr. “Just feeling confident in my role and going out there and playing my game.”
That confidence appears well-placed given his late-season performance, but Pippen Jr. knows nothing is guaranteed. The intensity of training camp has made that clear.
