Like father, like son: Sons of former NBA stars in school basketball this season

Final season, Bronny James dominated headlines within the college basketball world as his father, LeBron James, was nonetheless dominating within the NBA.

The youthful James’ time within the school ranks ended after one season, opting to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft following his freshman yr at USC. Nonetheless, there are a number of different sons of former NBA gamers who’re both starting or within the midst of their school basketball careers — which could make you are feeling a bit outdated. 

One of many prime gamers in school basketball this season, Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper, is the son of former NBA standout Ron Harper. In the meantime, Carlos Boozer’s twin sons, Cameron and Cayden Boozer, dedicated to Duke for the 2025-26 season, with the previous being the top-ranked recruit within the Class of 2025. 

However with the brand new school basketball season underway, let’s check out which gamers across the nation are sons of former NBA gamers. 

Dylan Harper and Ron Harper

Dylan Harper is essentially the most outstanding son of a former NBA participant within the school recreation this season. Broadly seen as one of many prime prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft, the youthful Harper has scored 20 or extra factors in 4 of Rutgers’ 5 video games this season. He’s averaging 19.8 factors, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per recreation this season whereas taking pictures 54.3% from the ground.

The elder Harper starred at Miami (Ohio) within the Eighties, profitable Mid-American Conference Participant of the 12 months twice earlier than having fun with a 15-year NBA profession. He was additionally a second-team All-American as a senior in 1986, serving to Miami attain the NCAA Event for the third time in 4 years. He wound up changing into the eighth total decide within the 1986 NBA Draft. Whereas he started his profession with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harper’s most notable seasons have been with the Chicago Bulls, the place he gained three titles, beginning within the backcourt alongside Michael Jordan. 

Jase Richardson and Jason Richardson

Jase Richardson is 5 video games into his school profession at Michigan State, which is the place his father performed. The youthful Richardson was ranked as a top-40 recruit within the Class of 2024 by 247 Sports activities. He scored 10 factors over 22 minutes in his school debut, after which adopted that up with a 12-point outing in a dominant 96-60 win over Niagara. The 6-foot-3 freshman guard is averaging 8.4 factors per recreation and taking pictures 62.5% from the ground by way of 5 video games.

Jason Richardson had two notable seasons at Michigan State. He got here off the bench and helped lead the Spartans to a nationwide title as a freshman in 2000. A yr later, Richardson scored a team-high 14.7 factors per recreation, which was ok for him to be named a consensus All-American. He helped Michigan State attain the Last 4 that yr earlier than being chosen by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth total decide in 2001. Richardson had a strong 14-year NBA profession, happening as among the best dunkers of all time after profitable the Slam Dunk Competitors twice.

Andrej Stojaković and Peja Stojaković 

The youthful Stojaković has the same pedigree to the youthful Harper and Richardson. He was ranked as a top-20 recruit within the Class of 2023 by 247 Sports activities. He really started his school profession at Stanford, averaging 7.8 factors per recreation as he was a rotational participant for the Cardinal final season. He transferred to Cal within the offseason and has gotten off to an excellent begin, averaging a team-high 18.2 factors and 5.5 rebounds by way of six video games this season.

Peja Stojaković by no means performed school hoops, enjoying professionally for Serbian and Greek groups earlier than starting his NBA profession in 1998. The elder Stojaković, who was chosen by the Sacramento Kings with the 14th total decide within the 1996 NBA Draft, was among the best 3-point shooters within the league over his 13-year profession. He was named an All-Star 3 times and gained the 3-Level Contest twice, enjoying a key function for the Kings groups that contended for a title within the early 2000s. He wound up profitable a title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, enjoying a key function off the bench that yr.

Stephon Marbury II and Stephon Marbury

Stojaković is not the one son of a former NBA participant enjoying at Cal this season. Stephon Marbury II additionally made his solution to Berkley this offseason, becoming a member of this system as a most popular walk-on in June. 

Marbury’s father, Stephon, was one of many prime level guards within the NBA within the early 2000s. The elder Marbury was additionally a star in his lone season at Georgia Tech, averaging 18.9 factors per recreation whereas incomes third-team All-American and ACC Rookie of the 12 months honors. After serving to Georgia Tech attain the Candy 16 in 1996, Marbury was chosen with the fourth total decide within the 1996 NBA Draft and was instantly traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a two-time All-Star over his seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns earlier than enjoying for his hometown New York Knicks.

Ryan Mutombo and Dikembe Mutombo

Georgia Tech has one other son of a former NBA star on its roster this season. Ryan Mutombo transferred to Tech after spending three seasons as a backup massive man for Georgetown, the place his father starred for 3 seasons beneath coach John Thompson. The elder Mutombo was named to the All-Big East workforce twice and gained Huge East Defensive Participant of the 12 months twice throughout his 4 seasons with the Hoyas.

The youthful Mutombo’s transfer to switch to Georgia Tech introduced him to town the place his father, Dikembe, turned among the best facilities within the NBA. Mutombo earned 4 of his eight profession All-Star nods over his eight NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks earlier than being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, the place he helped them attain the NBA Finals in 2001. Mutombo additionally gained 4 NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months Awards.

Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Jamal Mashburn

Jamal Mashburn Jr. might need the perfect school profession up to now out of any participant on the listing. The youthful Mashburn earned a pair of All-Mountain West workforce nods throughout his three seasons with New Mexico after transferring from Minnesota, scoring almost 20 factors per recreation in two totally different seasons. He transferred once more forward of the 2024-25 season, transferring on to Temple. He scored 26 factors in his Temple debut and is averaging 23.3 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 47.5% from the sector by way of six video games.

Whereas the youthful Mashburn performed for Richard Pitino for 4 seasons, Jamal Mashburn performed for Rick Pitino at Kentucky. Mashburn was one in all Pitino’s first stars throughout his profitable stint in Lexington, profitable SEC Participant of the 12 months and being named an All-American in 1993 as he helped the Wildcats attain the Elite Eight. Mashburn was chosen by the Mavericks with the fourth total decide within the NBA Draft a number of months later. He had a strong 12-year profession, being named an All-Star as soon as.

Justin Pippen and Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen has one other son within the school ranks this season. Justin Pippen started his school profession at Michigan, becoming a member of the Wolverines because the Seventieth-ranked recruit within the 2024 class. His brother, Scottie Jr., starred at Vanderbilt for 3 seasons (2019-22).

Pippen’s sons performed school hoops at far more prestigious applications than he did. Earlier than changing into among the best two-way gamers in NBA historical past with the Bulls, Scottie Pippen performed 4 seasons at Central Arkansas, an NAIA faculty at the moment.

Jace Howard and Juwan Howard

Despite the fact that Michigan fired Juwan Howard as its head coach following the 2023-24 season, his son, Jace, opted to stay in Ann Arbor for a fifth season. The youthful Howard has largely been an end-of-the-rotation participant throughout his time at Michigan.

In fact, the elder Howard was a star at Michigan many years earlier than his five-year stint as its head coach. He was a member of the enduring “Fab 5,” which helped Michigan play in two nationwide title video games within the early Nineties. Howard was additionally a third-team All-American for the Wolverines in 1993 earlier than he was chosen with the fifth total decide by the Washington Wizards in 1994. Howard was named an All-Star as soon as over his 19 seasons and was part of the Miami Heat‘s back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.

Mason Miller and Mike Miller

In contrast to his father, Mason Miller is a lefty, however he is additionally a powerful 3-point shooter. Miller has shot 41.3% from deep over his time at Creighton, changing into a full-time starter at ahead for the Bluejays as a sophomore final season.

Mike Miller, in the meantime, used his 3-point taking pictures capacity to raise Florida to a nationwide championship recreation look in 2000, and was chosen with the fifth total decide within the NBA Draft later that very same yr. He gained Rookie of the 12 months and Sixth Man of the 12 months throughout his time within the NBA. He additionally helped the Warmth win back-to-back titles alongside LeBron James.

Shaqir O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal presently has a few youngsters enjoying school hoops within the 2024-25 season. His daughter, Me’arah O’Neal, simply started enjoying women’s college basketball for Florida this week after being a four-star recruit. Shaqir, in the meantime, transferred to Florida A&M after two seasons at Texas Southern, the place he largely performed off the bench.

Shaquille O’Neal arguably had the perfect enjoying profession out of any father on this listing. The Corridor of Famer was dominant over his three seasons at LSU, profitable AP Participant of the 12 months in one in all his seasons. He continued that dominance all through his NBA profession after the Orlando Magic chosen him with the primary total decide within the 1993 NBA Draft. He was a 15-time All-Star, an MVP winner and a four-time champion over his NBA profession.

Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Shareef Abdur-Rahim

The youthful Abdur-Rahim has bounced between a number of colleges over his school profession, enjoying for Virginia and Georgia earlier than transferring to Providence forward of the 2024-25 season. After being relegated to a bench function in his first few school seasons, Abdur-Rahim lastly turned an everyday starter for Georgia final season, averaging 12.2 factors per recreation. However he started the 2024-25 season coming off Windfall’s bench.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, in the meantime, was one-and-done in school, profitable Pac-10 Participant of the 12 months with Cal within the 1995-96 season earlier than being a top-three decide within the NBA Draft. Abdur-Rahim was one of many league’s prime quantity scorers within the late Nineties and early 2000s, being named an All-Star in 2002 earlier than his profession led to 2008.

Ashton Hardaway and Penny Hardaway

Penny Hardaway had each of his sons on his Memphis workforce final season. He does not have both of them on the roster this yr, as Jayden Hardaway graduated and Ashton Hardaway transferred to St. Mary’s. Ashton, a sophomore ahead, was a bench participant for Memphis final season and started the 2024-25 season as a bench participant for St. Mary’s.

The eldest Hardaway made a reputation for himself at Memphis, being named a consensus first-team All American in 1993. The Magic chosen Hardaway with the third total decide within the NBA Draft shortly after, as he started his memorable skilled profession. Hardaway earned 4 All-Star nods and three All-NBA honors, serving to the Magic attain the NBA Finals in 1995. Sadly, accidents derailed Hardaway’s profession earlier than the top of the last decade, and he by no means regained his star kind after the Magic traded him to the Suns in 1999.

Larry Hughes II and Larry Hughes

The youthful Hughes additionally adopted in his father’s footsteps, committing to Saint Louis forward of the 2022-23 season. He began 27 video games final season, averaging 7.4 factors, and is coming off the bench this season, averaging 7.0 factors within the workforce’s first three video games.

Twenty-five years earlier than the youthful Hughes arrived at Saint Louis, Larry Hughes had a powerful freshman season on the faculty. He averaged 20.9 factors per recreation, serving to him win USBWA Nationwide Freshman of the 12 months. Hughes was one-and-done, getting chosen by the 76ers with the eighth total decide within the 1998 NBA Draft. He had a strong 14-year profession, serving to the Cavaliers attain the NBA Finals in 2007.

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