With LeBron James and his son Bronny James set to make NBA history next season, fans might be thinking about the various NBA stars who had children who also played in the league and found a fair amount of success. Since basketball is a sport where size plays an integral part in deciding the ceiling or potential of a player, genetics is a big factor.
Having a parent who played in the NBA offers a young child certain advantages. However, the success that the star finds will be based on his own accomplishments and nothing more. With that being said, let us take a closer look and find out more about the prominent father-son duos in the NBA.
Steph Curry and Dell Curry
Given that Steph Curry is acknowledged by many to be one of the best players of the last generation, he deserves to be mentioned first on this list. Most fans will already know that Steph is from a family of basketball players as his father Dell Curry played for 15 seasons in the NBA.
Kobe Bryant and Joe Bryant
Although LeBron James and Michael Jordan tend to dominate the GOAT discussion, several fans also have Kobe Bryant high on the list. After all, the Black Mamba is a 5x NBA champion and was well known for his mental toughness, skill, and work ethic.
Fans who know about Kobe’s background will be aware that his father, Joe Bryant, played in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. While he never saw as much success when compared to his son, there is no denying that Joe Bryant motivated Kobe to make it to the NBA.Jalen Brunson and Rick Brunson
Jalen Brunson is a young NBA star who has reignited the New York Knicks fanbase once again. After joining the team, he has turned them into postseason contenders. Most NBA experts will agree that Jalen Brunson is one of the top 15 players currently in the league.
Veteran fans might be aware that Rick Brunson is Jalen’s father and also spent some time in the league as a player. Rick was in the NBA from 1997-2006 and played for several teams such as the Knicks, Blazers, and Bulls.Klay Thompson and Mychal Thompson
Klay Thompson has been a major talking point this offseason. He recently signed a 3-year contract with the Dallas Maverciska and will no longer be a part of the Golden State Warriors. Although Klay did not leave the Warriors on the best of terms, many will remember his invaluable contributions to the success that the team has seen over the past decade.
Klay’s father Mychal Thompson was also an NBA star who spent the majority of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers. Before finding out that Klay was joining the Mavericks, many fans wondered if he would join the Lakers and play for the same team that his father was in.Gary Payton II and Gary Payton
Veteran NBA fans will remember Gary Payton. He was one of the top players in the league a few decades ago and spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Supersonics. Golden State Warriors fans will know that Gary Payton II is the former player’s son.
Domontas Sabonis and Arvydas Sabonis
Sacramento Kings star Domontas Sabonis has established himself to be one of the top centers in the league. While the Kings have not seen much playoff success, Domontas had made a name for himself well beyond the legacy of his father.
To those who do not know, Arvydas Sabonis played with the Portland Trail Blazers for a brief stretch of his career, Arvydas proved to be quite an impressive player, averaging 12 points and 7.3 rebounds. However, his son’s career numbers so far are well above his own.Andrew Wiggins and Mitchell Wiggins
Although Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins has been dealing with struggles, his talent and ability on the basketball court are undeniable. One could make an argument that Andrew Wiggins was the second-best player on the Warriors’ roster when they won the 2022 NBA championship.
Wiggins’ father spent 6 seasons in the NBA. Veteran fans may remember that Mitchell Wiggins played with the Houston Rockets for 4 seasons in the 1980s. While he was a decent player, Andrew has gone beyond the shadow that his father’s name may have left.
Austin Rivers and Doc Rivers
Out of all the duos in this list, Austin Rivers and Doc Rivers’ relationship needs a closer look. Although Austin retired recently and technically cannot be considered an active player, he spent time in the league being coached by Doc Rivers.
Since Doc Rivers used to be a player himself, this means they are a duo most similar to LeBron James and Bronny James. At the very least, Bronny will not have to undergo being coached by LeBron, this is something that Austin Rivers had to deal with.Bol Bol and Manut Bol
As already mentioned, size plays a major role in making it to the NBA. One needs to look at former NBA star Manute Bol and his son Bol Bol in order to have a better grasp of this concept. Manute was listed at a shocking 7’7 and is actually one of the tallest players in league history.
Although Bol Bol is significantly shorter at 7’3, he is still far taller when compared to the majority of the stars in the NBA. While their length has prevented them from finding much success due to the physicality of the NBA, they are a father-son duo that is fairly well known.David Stockton and John Stockton
NBA fans who have a good knowledge base about the greats in the sport will certainly know about John Stockton. While he was unable to win an NBA championship and had 2 attempts against Michael Jordan, Stockton is considered one of the greatest point guards in the history of the league.
David Stockton played in just 6 NBA games between 2015 and 2018. Given that he was the son of a great point guard, this was undoubtedly a letdown in the eyes of most fans. One could argue that something similar could happen with Bronny James if he is unable to take his game to the next level.LeBron James and Bronny James deserve a special mention
While there are also several other father son duos that were not mentioned in this list, the most recent inclusion overshadows them for a particular reason. LeBron James and Bronny James will be making history as the only father-duo to step on the court as teammates.
A father-son duo has never been seen across the league, even with different teams. Therefore, being the first pair to make history will put them at the very top of this list. The main question left on fans’ minds is regarding what Bronny will be capable of doing. He did not perform well in college and will be facing a lot of pressure when making his debut for the Lakers.In any case, one should also wonder if there is any chance for another NBA star to stay in the league long enough to face their son. Perhaps Steph Curry could do so with Canon Curry. Or Jayson Tatum with his son Deuce. Although this scenario is certainly unlikely to happen, it is something that fans can entertain pondering over.