PORTLAND Ore. (AP) — Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. made his season debut for the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night after undergoing surgery on his left big toe in October.

With his famous father watching from courtside, the younger Pippen started for the Grizzlies against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Pippen, 25, had a surgical procedure called a sesamoidectomy to deal with nagging discomfort in his toe.

Last season he averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 79 games for Memphis.

Pippen started his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2022-23 season. He spent the past two seasons with the Grizzlies, playing in 100 games and averaging 10 points with 4.2 assists over the span.

The elder Pippen, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, played for the Trail Blazers for four seasons from 1999-2003.

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