The NCAA Tournament is every hooper’s dream. This is the stage where legends are made. But imagine fighting your way there, only to be held back by injury. That kind of bad luck? It stings. Michigan guard Justin Pippen, yes, the son of six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen is in that exact situation. The timing couldn’t be worse, but if there’s one thing keeping his hope alive, it’s his mother Larsa Pippen. She knows that this story isn’t over yet.

Justin Pippen officially entered the NCAA transfer portal. The move came Monday right as the window opened. And while there are a few factors behind his decision, two stand out: injuries and inconsistent performance. A concussion sidelined Justin Pippen during the Big Ten Tournament and kept him out of Michigan’s first two NCAA Tournament matchups. This season has tested Justin’s resilience.

Justin Pippen’s freshman season was anything but ideal. Appearing in 28 games off the bench, he averaged 1.6 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in just 6.6 minutes per game—far from what he or anyone else had envisioned. Now, with a fresh start on the horizon, the big question is: what’s next? One thing’s for sure, his mom, Larsa isn’t going anywhere. She made that loud and clear in her latest Instagram story.

She reposted Bleacher Report’s update about Justin entering the transfer portal, but she shared the news with a deep message. “@justinpippen excited for your next chapter.” Larsa Pippen has been through the highs and lows of basketball stardom firsthand, watching Scottie Pippen’s legendary run and now guiding her son through his own uncertain path.

Larsa Pippen stands by her son Justin through every step of his hooping journey

Larsa Pippen is her kids’ biggest cheerleader. All four of them are chasing their dreams, and she’s right there supporting them. And it goes both ways, her kids are just as protective of her. When it comes to her sons’ basketball games, Larsa shows up whether in person or from afar. Last year, her youngest son, Justin Pippen, had an exciting run with the Michigan Wolverines. Larsa usually watches from home, but that season, she decided to make an appearance after a long time.

She took to Instagram to share the moment. First, she posted a team photo of Justin with his Wolverines squad. Then, a clip of her walking into the arena. And finally, a shot of the cheerleaders in action. Based on the timing, she may have been at No. 17 Michigan’s matchup against No. 13 Maryland. But Larsa never made a big deal about being there.

Turns out, there’s a reason for that. On her Going Rogue podcast with best friend Michelle Pooch, Larsa spilled the story. “When little Scotty gives us seats and I say, ‘Hey, I want to come, and I think I want to sit courtside.’ And he goes, ‘no, I want to give you the family seats. I want you to sit with the rest of the moms in the nosebleed [seats],” Larsa shared. Even as an NBA legend’s ex-wife and a public figure, Larsa does not look for the spotlight at her son’s games. She just wants to support them.