Scottie Pippen, one of the greatest small forwards of all time, who played 17 seasons in the NBA, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, often credits his late parents for shaping his basketball journey.
The NBA star Scottie Pippen was born Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr. on September 25, 1965, in Hamburg, Arkansas, United States, as the youngest of 12 children of parents Ethel and Preston Pippen.
His father, the late Preston Pippen, was a paper mill worker, and his mother, the late Ethel, was a housewife who raised all of her 12 children.
While his parents didn’t play any sports, they guided and supported Scottie Pippen from a very young age in his pursuit of a sports career.
Similarly, raised in a poor household, his parents, Preston and Ethel, could not afford to send their other children to college; however, they did everything possible to send their youngest child, Scottie, to college.
Scottie Pippen also often expresses his love and respect for his late parents and appreciates the efforts they made that helped him become one of the greatest NBA players.
In an Instagram post from 2022, Scottie Pippen shared a beautiful picture of himself with his late mother, Ethel, and recalled her memories.
The post reads:
“My late mother, Ethel Pippen. Mom raised 12 kids and was tough as nails. Her faith meant the world to her, and she instilled that same faith in me. She kept us in line and did everything in her power to make sure we were fed, clothed and happy. I’m grateful I was able to take care of her later in life after all she did for us.”
Scottie Pippen
Although Scottie Pippen didn’t inherit athletic genes from his parents, he did inherit their towering height. His father was 6’1”, and his mother stood 6 feet tall.
Scottie Pippen Lost His Father, Preston, In 1990, And His Mother, Ethel, In 2016
Scottie Pippen lost his beloved father, Preston Clyde Pippen, in 1990, when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA.
Preston Clyde Pippen, born on June 9, 1920, in Milo, Ashley, Arkansas, to late parents, Ned Pippen and Fannie (Tucker) Pippen, passed away on May 10, 1990, at the untimely age of 69.
I’m heartbroken to share that yesterday, I said goodbye to my firstborn son Antron. The two of us shared a love for basketball and we had countless conversations about the game. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Zt3wo8wpcg
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) April 19, 2021
While the cause of Preston’s untimely demise is not yet known, his funeral service took place in Hamburg, Ashley County, Arkansas.
Furthermore, Scottie Pippen’s parents, Preston and Ethel, married on March 3, 1946, and remained happily married for over four decades.
After 26 years since the demise of his father, Preston Pippen, Scottie Pippen lost his beloved mother, Ethel Lee Harris Pippen, in 2016.
Ethel Lee Pippen passed away on Friday, February 26, 2016, at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the age of 92.
Born on March 1, 1923, in Jones, LA, to the late parents Walter and Emma Williams-Harris, Ethel was not just a great mother to Scottie and his siblings, but also a member of the Soldiers Chapel A.M.E. Church.
In addition to his parents, Scottie Pippen also faced the tragedy of losing his sister, Dorothy Rena Pippen, and son, Antron Jerrod Pippen.
Antron Pippen, the oldest of seven children of Scottie Pippen, passed away at the untimely age of 33 on April 18, 2021. He was born on December 29, 1987, to Scottie and his former wife Karen McCollum.
While Pippen didn’t reveal the cause of his son’s demise, he said that Antron suffered from chronic asthma.
Antron followed in the footsteps of his father, Scottie Pippen, and played college basketball at South Georgia Tech and Texas A&M International.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Scottie Pippen’s son, Scotty Jr., whom he shares with former wife Larsa Pippen, is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
- In addition to Scotty Jr., Scottie also shares three more children, Preston, Justin, and Sophia, with former wife Larsa Pippen.
- His son, Justin Pippen, plays college basketball at Michigan, and his daughter, Sophia, appeared on the first season of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors.
- Scottie has twin daughters, Taylor and Tyler Roby, with former girlfriend, Sonya Roby, and a daughter with former fiancé, Yvette De Leon.
