Many basketball aficionados know the story of Michael Jordan being told he wasn’t good enough after being cut from his high school varsity team.
While Jordan had to work extremely hard to become the legend that he is today, there are many professional basketballers who come from supportive families. In fact, there are players in the NBA who’ve had family play there before.
Dedicated fans are likely familiar with many of these players individually, but shedding some light on their family’s history goes to show just how refined their athletic talent truly is. Here are the 5 best families to ever have multiple members play in the NBA.
Family can be a source of inspiration, but it can also be a source of stress, conflict, and trauma. If you struggle to manage family relationships or want to learn more about how family can influence mental health and personal wellbeing, be sure to take advantage of resources like BetterHelp. Betterhelp can help connect you with a licensed professional, if necessary, and provide all sorts of useful information to make things better.
1. The Morrises
Marcus and Markieff Morris play for two sides of LA: the Clippers and the Lakers, respectively.
While only slightly differing in playing style, even though they’re both centers, these identical twins battle it out for Los Angeles’ bragging rights and even have the same tattoos!
2. The Barrys
Rick Barry was one of the best small forwards the NBA has ever seen. He previously held the record for the most consecutive free throws and is one of only four players to be a part of a championship team in both leagues.
Four of Rick’s five children – Brent, Jon, Drew, and Scooter – are all former NBA players. Even his youngest son, Canyon, carries on the family tradition; he currently plays for the Iowa Wolves in the NBA G League.
3. The Millers
Reggie Miller is regarded as the Indiana Pacers’ greatest ever player, having spent his entire 18-year career there.
Nicknamed “Knick Killer” for his accuracy with three-pointers, Reggie was a five-time All-Star inductee and now works as an NBA commentator.
The success doesn’t stop there. His sister, Cheryl, was head coach and general manager of WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and has worked as a sideline reporter, analyst, and sportscaster for the NBA.
Cheryl was no slouch on the court, though. She was inducted into the first-ever Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame after stellar high school and college careers.
Her No. 31 jersey was retired by the University of Southern California, her alma mater, making it the first retired jersey of any player at USC (fun fact: Reggie’s No. 31 jersey was also retired by the Indiana Pacers after his career).
4. The Bryants
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played in the NBA for three teams across eight seasons. He even crossed continents to play in Italy and France.
However, he can’t compare to the feats his son achieved over his career. Kobe Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the LA Lakers and is considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Noting down all of Kobe’s achievements would need another article altogether, such was the outstanding career of the “Black Mamba”. Kobe even won an Oscar for his animated short Dear Basketball in 2018!
5. The Currys
Dell Curry’s 16-year career saw him retire as one of the most accomplished shooters in NBA history. However, calling his son Steph Curry an “accomplished shooter” would be an understatement.
In fact, many consider Steph to be the best shooter the NBA has ever seen.
While Seth, Steph’s younger brother, isn’t quite in the same league as his sibling, you can’t deny that the Curry family has definitely revolutionized the art of shooting in basketball.
Takeaway: Like Father, Like Brother, Like Son
Whether it’s father-son combos, teams with twins, or sibling duos and trios, it’s quite remarkable to see more than one person in a family make their mark in the NBA, especially considering that only 450 roster sports can be occupied by players across all teams at any given time.
Seeing children succeed their parents is just as special as seeing siblings grace the court together, so we’re lucky as fans to be able to enjoy their talent while we can.
