Ohio State basketball just made a statement portal addition. In a week when the Buckeyes desperately needed one, they landed a prodigy from the Pippen pipeline. Not only that, they even flipped a rivalry script when former Michigan guard Justin Pippen made the transfer.
Per Pete Thamel’s report, Justin Pippen has transferred to Ohio State as confined by his agents at WME Basketball. The 20-year-old LA native averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds at Cal this past season. But beyond the numbers, this is a storyline Buckeye fans can sink their teeth into.
Justin Pippen becomes one of the rare players to suit up for both sides of the sport’s most heated rivalry. He kicked off his college career with the team up north, playing 28 games during the 2024-25 season. He was used as more of a rotational piece but was still part of a Michigan program that had Ohio State’s number all year long.
The first three months in 2026 already battered Ohio State as far as the rivalry is concerned and Buckeye fans won’t forget it. Michigan handled them starting with a 74-62 win in January where Bruce Thornton was bottled up. Then the Wolverines delivered an even more lopsided 82-61 statement in February followed by another close 71-67 Big Ten Tournament loss in March.
NEWS: Cal guard Justin Pippen is committing to transfer to Ohio State, per his agents at WME Basketball. He’s a sophomore who averaged 14.2 points per game this year and had 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He’s the son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. pic.twitter.com/zsqVEp2Mlp
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 10, 2026
Justin Pippen may not have been part of either lineups this past season. But the fact that he was once a Wolverine who decided to cross the fence is still a win for Ohio State. Besides, he comes with basketball DNA as the son of legendary Scottie Pippen, a six-time NBA champion and a cornerstone of the Chicago Bulls dynasty alongside Michael Jordan.
While it’s unfair to expect anyone to mirror a Hall of Fame career, the traits show up in the passing vision and the ability to read space. Ohio State is betting on that upside despite it being Justin Pippen’s third program in three years. But this could finally be his home because he never really fit in at Michigan where he was buried in the rotation, or Cal, where he carried responsibility on a middling roster. Columbus offers a chance to lead a program with expectations.
How Justin Pippen fits at Ohio State
Ohio State is coming off a 21-13 season, returning to March Madness after three years away. What they need now is a conductor and that’s where Justin Pippen’s fit starts to make sense. His 4.6 assists per game would’ve led Ohio State last season. He’s experienced, starting 38 games at Cal and logging over 30 minutes per night. The 6’3 combo guard even led the Golden Bears in assists while finishing second in scoring.
Ohio State needed a guard who could run a team. With Bruce Thornton gone and multiple backcourt exits piling up, there was a gap at point guard. Justin Pippen proved at Cal he can do a little bit of everything. From a bench role at Michigan (just 6.7 minutes per game) to a full-time starter at Cal, he could potentially be the lead guard at Ohio State now. But with great expectations come great responsibilities.
Can he handle the expectations? Can he help Ohio State close the gap on the very program he once called home? When Justin Pippen steps onto the floor in Ohio State’s uniform for the first time, Buckeye fans will be watching who he does it against.
