A Western Conference executive first, and then Shaquille O’Neal! It seems Scottie Pippen is attracting comparisons from all directions. For those unaware, an anonymous WC executive recently compared Duke Blue Devils’ Cooper Flagg with Scottie Pippen. However, the comparison was not all in praise.

The unnamed official stated that despite Flagg’s impressive numbers, he cannot see the freshman as a number 1 on a championship team. “I say Scottie because he could have been a No. 1 guy, and was after MJ (Michael Jordan) left (Chicago), but he became by far the best No. 2,” he said, drawing the comparison between two athletes. And before fans could wrap their heads around this, ex-LA Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal dropped another name in comparison to Scottie Pippen: The Chicago Bull legend’s own 24-year-old son from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The opinion from Big Diesel came during his recent appearance on House of Highlights. The discussion at hand on the show? The Memphis Grizzlies’ 110-108 win over the Miami Heat. Pippen Jr. contributed a valuable 17 points and 7 rebounds. But what impressed Shaquille O’Neal was the 24-year-old’s shooting as he shot 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

“Better shooter than his daddy,” Shaq declared on the show. Now, is that a stretch? Let’s break it down. Statistically, Scottie Pippen still holds the edge in almost every category. Through three seasons, Pippen Jr. is averaging 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Respectable numbers—but they pale in comparison to what his father posted at the same stage.

By the end of his third year, the Chicago Bulls icon was putting up 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. That might seem only slightly better at first glance, but by season three, Scottie had already cracked the 15-points-per-game mark. By year five, he was regularly dropping 20-plus. Meanwhile, Pippen Jr. is still fighting to reach double digits this season.

Yes, there’s the matter of minutes—Pippen Jr. simply hasn’t had the same floor time as his Hall of Famer dad. But even with that in mind, only few would expect him to outperform his father in something as crucial as shooting.

And yet, here we are. Scottie Pippen shot 47.9 percent from the field and just 25 percent from three over his first three seasons. And Pippen Jr.? In his three seasons so far, he has been shooting 48 percent from the field and a stunning 39.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Shaquille O’Neal clearly stands right in his claim. Surprisingly, though, the most iconic moment for Pippen Jr. so far has not come from surpassing his father but by leveling him in a key statline figure.

Scotty Pippen Jr. displayed his father-like proficiency to create an iconic record this season

The Memphis Grizzlies wasted no time making an impact at the start of this season, and a big part of that was Scotty Pippen Jr.’s emergence. Rather than just living in his dad’s shadow, Pippen Jr. has been carving out his own path. One that added a historic milestone to his name this season.

With Ja Morant sidelined due to injury, Pippen Jr., this season, initially found himself stepping into a bigger role. And instead of shying away from the challenge, he embraced it, injecting energy and consistency into the Grizzlies’ lineup when they needed it most.

Then came a night to remember against the Washington Wizards in November. Pippen Jr. recorded his first career triple-double—11 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists—securing his name in the record books, as he and his father are now the first-ever father-son duo to achieve a triple-double in NBA history.

“Crazy,” Pippen Jr. said, struggling to put the emotions into words. “I don’t know if I have any words to describe how that feels. Just making history is always a great thing. Definitely being the first father-son duo to do it is a crazy feeling.”

Clearly, while there may be a long path for him to travel, Pippen Jr. is slowly and steadily approaching where his father once stood. All while surpassing him in some crucial aspects of games like shooting, as Shaquille O’Neal claimed.