The National Basketball Association employs anywhere from 600 players during the offseason to approximately 450 players during the regular season, and of these numbers, past, and present, there are plenty of family ties in the NBA. So far, there are 25 NBA father and sons that played in the NBA.
Family Ties: Father and Sons that Played in the NBA
The Barry Family
Rick Barry, Jon Barry, Brent Barry, Drew Barry, Canyon Barry (currently in NBA G-League), and Bruce Hale.
- Bruce Hale is the father-in-law to Rick Barry and grandfather to Jon, Brent, Drew, and Canyon.
- Rick and Brent Barry are the second father/son duo to win an NBA championship as players.
- Rick, Jon, and Brent started and ended their careers with the Houston Rockets.
- Rick, Jon and Drew all appeared on the Golden State Warriors roster.
Thanks to the @Warriors for honoring me with the medallion outside of the new Chase Center. @ Chase Center https://t.co/sSEQ5FvVqQ
— Rick Barry (@Rick24Barry) October 7, 2019
The Bibby Family
- Both Henry and Mike had a spot on the New York Knicks roster.
- Henry played professional basketball from 1972-1981 and then coached until 2014. Due to his career, Henry Bibby was absent from Mike Bibby’s life and the younger Bibby resented his career being compared to that of his father’s.
- Mike Bibby Sr. has a son, Mike Bibby Jr.. who seems to be following his father and grandfather’s steps, and his father has been quoted as saying he wants his son to be the best Bibby to play basketball. Bibby Sr. doesn’t want to be one of the fathers and sons that played in the NBA in which the son is constantly compared to his father, or grandfather in this case.
The Booker Family
Melvin Booker and Devin Booker
- Melvin and Devin both played against NBA legends Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett at one point in their careers.
- Melvin spent four seasons in the NBA and played overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association league.
- Devin was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2014 and has started in 308 of his 333 career games.
The Brewer Family
- Ron and Ronnie both played for the Chicago Bulls.
- Ron Brewer was drafted to the Portland Trailblazers in 1978 (he was picked directly after Larry Bird) and finished his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1986.
- Ronnie Brewer started his career in the NBA with the Utah Jazz in 2006 and ended it in Chicago with the Bulls in 2014.
The Bryant Family
- Joe Bryant spent eight years in the NBA with half of that time on the Philadelphia 76ers roster.
- Kobe Bryant spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers before his retirement at 38 years old and was beginning the next stage of his life when he was tragically killed in a helicopter accident in 2020.
Although Kobe Bryant was part of fathers and sons who played in the NBA, his daughter, Gianna, who was also tragically killed in the helicopter accident with her father, had her sights set on going to college at UCONN and playing in WNBA. She and her father shared their love for playing the game. He was her coach at the Mamba Academy of Sports.
The Crowder Family
- Both Corey and Jae spent time with the Utah Jazz during their careers.
- Corey Crowder played in the NBA for two seasons; he played with the Jazz in 1991 and with the Spurs in 1994 and spent the rest of his career playing for various teams overseas.
- Jae Crowder played his first three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and currently is a small forward for the Miami Heat.
The Curry Family
Dell Curry, Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, and Damien Lee.
- Dell Curry spent 10 of his 16 seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and spent the last three seasons of his career with the Toronto Raptors.
- Stephen Curry was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2010 and has spent his entire 10-year career as the team’s starting point guard.
- Seth Curry entered the league in 2016 and has spent time with Dallas, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, and Cleveland. Seth Curry is married to Doc Rivers‘ daughter and is the brother-in-law to Austin Rivers.
- Damien Lee, Dell Curry‘s son-in-law, plays for the Golden State Warriors with brother-in-law Steph.
Way to quiet the “Noise” my good Man! @Dami0nLee #nextplaymentality pic.twitter.com/4nYQD7DtZ9
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) March 8, 2020
The Dunleavy Family
Mike Dunleavy and Mike Dunleavy Jr.
- Mike Dunleavy Sr. started his career with the Philadephia 76ers and retired with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1985, but returned to play for two more years from 1988-1990.
- Mike Dunleavy Jr. played five seasons with the Golden State Warriors, five seasons with the Indiana Pacers, and finished out his career with the Atlanta Hawks.
- Dunleavy Sr. was the second coach to face his son in an NBA game.
The Ewing Family
Patrick Ewing and Patrick Ewing Jr.
- Patrick Ewing Sr. spent 15 of his 17 seasons in the NBA with the New York Knicks, played in nearly 1200 games, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Patrick Ewing Jr. played seven games in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, spent several years on developmental league teams, and played overseas in Germany, Greece, and for the Qatari Basketball League.
The Guokas Family
Matt Guokas and Matt Guokas Jr.
- Matt Guokas Sr. and Matt Guokas Jr. were the first father and son duo to win NBA Championships as players. The Barrys, Waltons, and Thompsons have also joined the Guokas family in accomplishing this feat.
- Matt Guokas Sr. played one season of professional basketball before he became a broadcaster after losing his leg in an automobile accident.
- Matt Guokas Jr. began his career in 1966 after being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and stopped playing basketball in 1976. He then coached from 1982-1993.
The Grant Family
Harvey Grant, Jerami Grant, and Jerian Grant.
- Harvey Grant, the father of Jerami and Jerian, played most of his career with Washington. Sons Jerami and Jerian followed in his footsteps.
- Jerami Grant was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, which is where his father played his last season in the NBA.
- Jerian Grant spent two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, one season with the New York Knicks, and one season with the Orlando Magic. He currently plays for the Washington D.C. G-League team, the Capital City Go-Go.
The Hardaway Family
Tim Hardaway Sr. and Tim Hardaway Jr.
- Both Hardaway Sr. and Jr. spent time with the Dallas Mavericks. They also both played with the Dallas Mavericks legendary great, Dirk Nowitzki.
- Tim Hardaway Sr. spent six seasons with the Golden State Warriors, six seasons with the Miami Heat, and one season each with the Dallas Mavericks, the Denver Nuggets, and the Indiana Pacers.
- Tim Hardaway Jr. began his career with the New York Knicks after being drafted 24th pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft and has been with the Dallas Mavericks since the 2018-2019 season.
TIM HARDAWAY JR IS A BAAAAAAD MAN 😤!#MFFL | 📺 @FOXSportsSW pic.twitter.com/R9wTOUxySO
— FOX Sports Southwest (@FOXSportsSW) March 9, 2020
The Karl Family
George Karl and Coby Karl
- George Karl was the third NBA coach to face his son, Coby, in an NBA game.
- George Karl played a total of 264 games in his five-year career and spent four of the five years in the American Basketball Association League.
- Coby Karl played 24 games in the NBA during his eight-year playing career and spent several years in the developmental league and playing overseas. Karl is currently the coach of the G-League affiliate team for the Lakers, the South Bay Lakers.
The Lucas Family
- This father and son duo both spent some time with the Houston Rockets.
- John Lucas was the first round overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft and was drafted by the Rockets. Lucas also played for the Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, and the Seattle SuperSonics before finishing out his career back in Houston in 1990.
- John Lucas III also began his career with the Houston Rockets and spent two years with them before playing overseas for three seasons. He then returned to the NBA and played for the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Karl has been a developmental coach with the Timberwolves since 2017.
The McGuire Family
Alfred McGuire and Allie McGuire
- Both Alfred and Allie were drafted by the New York Knicks.
- Alfred McGuire spent three years with the Knicks and one year with the Baltimore Bullets. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for coaching in 1992.
- Allie McGuire was drafted by the Knicks in 1973 and spent one season with the organization.
The Nance Family
Larry Nance and Larry Nance Jr.
- Larry Nance and Larry Nance Jr. both spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- The eldest Nance was drafted in the first round, 20th overall, by the Phoenix Suns in the 1981 NBA Draft. He played seven seasons with the Suns and retired after seven more years with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1994.
- The younger Nance was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 and spent three years with the Lakers before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he is currently a center. He has started in ten games this season.
The Payton Family
Gary Payton and Gary Payton II
- Gary Payton spent the majority of his career playing for Seattle and finished up with two seasons playing for the Miami Heat.
- Gary Payton II is in his second season with the Washington Wizards and his third year in the NBA.
The Paxson Family
Jim Paxson, Jim Paxson Jr., and John Paxson.
- Jim Paxson is one of five fathers in the NBA with more than one child in the league. He also spent two years in the league himself.
- Jim Paxson Jr. spent nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers and three seasons with the Boston Celtics.
- John Paxson was part of the Chicago Bulls for nine of his 11 years of playing, only playing for the San Antonio Spurs in his first two seasons.
The Rivers Family
- Doc Rivers was the fourth coach to face his son in an NBA game. Rivers spent eight seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, three seasons with the New York Knicks, two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and one season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Doc Rivers is currently the head coach for the Los Angles Clippers.
- Austin Rivers is the first son to play for his father, as a coach, in an NBA game. Rivers was drafted tenth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets and after spending time with the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Washington Wizards before joining the Houston Rockets, where he currently is a shooting guard.
Austin Rivers got 'em slipping 👀 pic.twitter.com/ggDSsihQwV
— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2020
The Russell Family
Walker Russell and Walker Russell Jr.
- The Russell father/son duo both began their careers with the Detroit Pistons.
- Walker Russell spent one season with Atlanta Hawks and one season with the Indiana Pacers in between his four-season stint with the Pistons.
- Walker Russell Jr. went undrafted in 2006 and spent time playing overseas and in the developmental league before joining the NBA for one year with the Pistons in 2011.
The Temple Family
Collis Temple and Garrett Temple
- Collis Temple was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1974 after he was the first black basketball player at LSU. He was named an SEC legend in 2006. His son, Collis Temple III, whose basketball career was derailed by an injury in college, will be given the same honor this year.
- Garrett Temple is playing in his ninth year in the league and has one year of professional basketball overseas on his resume as well. He has spent four seasons with the Washington Wizards, three seasons with the Sacramento Kings, two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, and spent time at various organizations for less than one season. Temple is currently a shooting guard for the Brooklyn Nets.
The Thompson Family
Mychal Thompson, Mychel Thompson, and Klay Thompson.
- The father, Mychal Thompson, spent seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, five seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, and one season with the San Antonio Spurs.
- The oldest son, Mychel Thompson, spent one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He currently plays in the BIG3.
- Klay Thompson, one year younger than his brother Mychel, started his professional career in the NBA after being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2011. Despite injuries that have kept him off of the court, he still is a Warrior nine years later.
The van Breda Kolff Family
Butch van Breda Kolff and Jan van Breda Kolff
- The van Breda Kolff father and son duo were the first to face off in a game when Butch van Breda Kolff faced his son Jan in an NBA game.
- Butch van Breda Kolff spent four seasons playing professional basketball, three years in the Basketball Association of America, and one year in the NBA.
- Jan van Breda Kolff started his career in the ABA in 1974 and joined the NBA’s New York Nets in 1977 where he stayed until his retirement in 1983.
The Vandeweghe Family
Ernie Vandeweghe and Kiki Vandeweghe
- Ernie Vanderweghe was drafted by the New York Knicks and played with them for six of his seven years in the league. The one season he didn’t play, he was injured.
- Ernie Vandeweghe‘s son, Kiki, spent five seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, four seasons with both the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets, and closed out his career as a Los Angeles Clippers team member.
The Walton Family
- The third father/son duo to win NBA championships as players.
- Bill Walton was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers first overall in the 1974 NBA draft and spent four years there before he was out one year with an injury. Following the injury, Walton joined the San Diego Clippers and stayed with them until he joined the Boston Celtics in 1985. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
- Luke Walton was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003 and spent nine seasons with them and two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Future of Family Ties is in Good Hands
In the league’s history, there are five players with more than one child in the NBA and the New York Knicks historically have more family ties in the NBA compared to any other franchise. The Houston Rockets and the Milwaukee Bucks each have two sets of father and son duos in their franchise history. Golden State, Dallas, Chicago, Utah, Detroit, San Antonio, and Cleveland have at least one father and son duo on their roster’s history as well. Who will be the next father and son to play in the NBA?