The best father-son duos to ever play in the NBA

Manute Bol: C I 1985 - 1995 I Career Stats: 2.6 PPG 4.2 RPG 3.3 BPG

Manute is one of the greatest shot blockers in NBA history and the only player to retire with more blocks than points. Over his decade-long career, Manute was one of the best post defenders in the league, made the All-Defensive Team in 1986 and was the leader in blocks in 1986 and 1989. Off the court, Manute was a humanitarian who raised money for his native Sudan before passing away in 2010.

Bol Bol: F/C I 2019 - Present I Career Stats: 6.5 PPG 3.7 RPG 0.6 APG

His son, Bol, is perhaps the single greatest example of the evolution of the center position. At 7’2 with a 7’8 wingspan, he has the handles and speed of a guard. Bol is a better off-the-dribble scorer and dribble penetrator than his pops. It took him a few seasons to find a home, but with the Orlando Magic, he has found a role off the bench as an unguardable seven-foot scoring threat off the dribble.

Gary Trent: F I 1995 - 2004 I Career Stats: 8.6 PPG 4.5 RPG 1 APG

In Dirk Nowitzki’s biography, “The Great Nowitzki: Basketball and the Meaning of Life,” Nowitzki described Trent Sr., who was one of his veterans, as “a little nuts.” Trent Sr. was a rugged, hard-nosed forward who took no shit. He was known as an “enforcer,” a role that the current NBA has phased out. Nevertheless, Trent survived a tough upbringing ruined by family drug use and poverty to become a solid NBA role player over his nine-year career.

Gary Trent Jr.: G I 2018 - Present I Career Stats: 14.5 PPG 2.3 RPG 1.5 APG

Even though the league has evolved, Trent Jr. possesses much of the toughness and grit of his pops, but has meshed it with fluid three-level scoring. While only 23, Trent Jr. plays like a 10-year veteran. He is a career 38 percent shooter from three while averaging 1.2 SPG. With the Toronto Raptors, he has taken his game to the next level, averaging a career-high 18.3 PPG this season.

Larry Nance: F I 1981 - 1994 I Career Stats: 17.1 PPG 8 RPG 2.6 APG

Nicknamed “The High-Ayatollah of Slamola,” he was the first “official” NBA Slam Dunk contest winner, beating out high-flying legends Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins. Nance was a double-double machine throughout his career, with his best individual season coming in the 1986–1987 NBA season, where he averaged 22.5 points per game. As a three-time All-Star and member of the All-Defensive First Team in 1989, Nance was an underrated, all-around player, just like his son.

Larry Nance Jr.: F/C I 2015 - Present I Career Stats: 8.1 PPG 6.5 RPG 1.9 APG

Larry Jr. first gained notoriety as a 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers Finals team member for his rugged play and elite athleticism off the bench. Since joining the New Orleans Pelicans in a 2021 trade, he has cemented himself as the team’s first big off the bench, providing elite rebounding and defense at power forward and center. Just like his father, Larry has carved out a role as a defensive maestro who can guard all five positions while bringing a certain dawg mentality to the court.

Kenyon Martin: F I 2000 - 2015 I Career Stats: 12.3 PPG 6.8 RPG 1.9 APG

Kenyon Martin Jr. was one of the most athletic players in the 2000s. He could not only jump out of the gym for blocked shots and voracious dunks, but he was part of the most explosive pick-and-roll duo with Jason Kidd on the New Jersey Nets. He was also an elite defender, guarding Shaquille O‘Neal in the 2004 Finals and Tim Duncan throughout multiple playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and Martin’s later team, the Denver Nuggets. Martin was the number one dawg during his decade, taking no shit from anyone while scoring as a polished pick-and-pop player.

KJ Martin: F I 2020 - Present I Career Stats: 9.9 PPG 4.7 RPG 1.3 APG

Kenyon Martin Jr., who differentiates himself as “KJ,” has his father’s athleticism and all-around game. While not the same athlete, he does have the same timing on blocks and steals and gladly takes on the opposing team’s toughest defensive assignment. While his father immediately found success upon being drafted by the Nets, KJ has been mired in losing while with the Houston Rockets. With the team planning on restructuring this summer to become more professional, you can bet KJ will be a big part of their move toward serious basketball for his energy, hustle, and winning DNA.

Tim Hardaway: G I 1989 - 2003 I Career Stats: 17.7 PPG 3.3 RPG 8.2 APG

As the owner of the best crossover of all time, Tim Hardaway Sr. was a burly, lethal guard for the Miami Heat during their tense rivalry with the New York Knicks in the late 90s. But before that, he was the lead guard for Don Nelson’s iconic and ahead-of-their-time Run TMC Golden State Warriors team in the early 90s, which popularized a run-and-gun style. Hardaway was a burly guard with elite handles and a clutch three-point shot. He was a five-time All-Star and First Team All-NBA in 1997.

Tim Hardaway Jr.: G I 2013 - Present I Career Stats: 13.9 PPG 2.9 RPG 1.9 APG

Tim Hardaway Jr. does not have the same lore nor is remembered in the same glorious way as his father is for the Warriors and Heat. Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a polarizing player since being drafted out of Michigan to the Knicks in 2013. His inconsistent jumper and matador defense have made him the ire of Dallas Mavericks fans, where he currently plays, But there are times when his hot hand can single-handedly win you a game.

Rick Brunson: G I 1997 - 2006 I Career Stats: 3.2 PPG 2.6 APG 0.9 RPG

Rick has the worst resume of all the senior basketball players on this one. Rick was a mediocre role player with the nine NBA teams he played for before retiring and getting into coaching and training his son. He also was of questionable character.  His best basketball accomplishment was giving birth to Jalen Brunson.

Jalen Brunson: G I 2018 - Present I Career Stats: 13.9 PPG 3.1 RPG 4.2 APG

But his son, Jalen, has become one of the biggest success stories in the NBA. After being drafted in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks with the 33rd pick, he emerged as a point guard capable of a much higher ceiling. Since leaving the poverty Mavs franchise, Brunson has found another level with the Knicks, averaging 24 PPG, 6 APG, and 4 RPG as the lead guard, forming a top-five pick-and-roll duo with Julius Randle. This season, there’s a legit argument he is the best point guard in the East and has become a star under the bright lights of New York.

Gary Payton: G I 1990 - 2007 I Career Stats: 16.3 PPG 3.9 RPG 6.7 APG

The best defensive guard of all-time and Defensive Player of the Year in 1996, Gary Payton, aka “The Glove,” was also a deft three-level scorer and offensive orchestrator for a Finals-bound Seattle Supersonics team in the 90s. Recognized as one of the Top 75 greatest players ever, Payton battled John Stockton for the title of the best point guard of the 90s while racking up 8,966 assists for his career, good enough for 11th place on the all-time list. Payton paired with Shawn Kemp to form one of Seattle’s most unstoppable pick-and-roll duos.

Gary Payton Jr.: G I 2016 - Present I Career Stats: 5.1 PPG 2.8 RPG 1.1 APG

Gary Jr. is finally back where he belongs after a deadline deal this season brought him back to the Golden State Warriors, where he won a championship last season. After a brief stint with the Portland Trailblazers, he is back with the team where he starred as a defensive pest off the bench for the last two seasons. Now back with the Warriors, he can reclaim his role as Steph Curry’s backup, providing defensive and scoring, quantified with the 1.4 SPG he averaged in last season’s championship run.

Mychal Thompson: F/C I 1978 - 1991 I Career Stats: 13.7 PPG 3.9 RPG 2.8 APG

The former first overall pick by the 1978 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Thompson played for the Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, and like his son, the Golden State Warriors. However, he’s best known for his time with the Lakers, where he won two NBA championships in 1987 and 1988 alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After retiring from the NBA, Thompson became a successful broadcaster and serves as a Lakers radio analyst.

Klay Thompson: G I 2011 - Present I Career Stats: 19.7 PPG 3.5 RPG 2.3 APG

Klay is one-half (along with Steph) of the greatest shooting duo of all time. The “Splash Brothers,” as the two are known, have won four championships together. Their combined backcourt prowess has led many to consider them the tip of the spear of the greatest NBA team assembled. But Klay has also been one of the best defenders of his generation, being named three times to an All-Defensive Team. Likewise, Thompson is one of the best two-way guards of his generation and has paired with Curry to create one of the best backcourts in NBA history.

Arvydas Sabonis: C I 1995 - 2003 I Career Stats: 12 PPG 7.3 RPG 2.1 APG

People have no idea how good Arvydas Sabonis was. Long before he finally joined the NBA at 31, he was considered the best European player not in the NBA. He is one of FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players and has the most impressive European resume ever. Once he joined the Trailblazers in 1995, he anchored their center position on the way to the 2000 Western Conference Finals, giving Shaquille O’Neal everything he had on defense. It’s scary to think about what the best passing big man could have done had he played in the NBA during his prime.

Domantas Sabonis: F/C I 2016 - Present I Career Stats: 14.9 PPG 9.6 RPG 4 APG

His son, Domantas, has picked up where his father left off, bringing elite passing, shooting, and post-scoring to the Sacramento Kings, rejuvenating the franchise in the process. With the Kings, Damantas has been able to have full control of the offense as a point center with the Kings. Since being traded last season from the Indiana Pacers, Sabonis has formed a deadly duo with De’Aaron Fox, spearheading the King’s best single season since 2004.

Dell Curry: G/F I 1986 - 2002 I Career Stats: 11.7 PPG 2.4 RPG 1.8 APG

Dell Curry was known for his exceptional three-point shooting abilities and ability to come off the bench as a microwave scorer. He spent time with the Utah Jazz, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Toronto Raptors. However, he is most famous for his time with the Charlotte Hornets, where he spent ten seasons and became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer until Kemba Walker surpassed him. Throughout his career, Dell Curry was a reliable scorer with a 40 percent three-point shooting percentage. He also won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in the 1993-1994 season, further cementing his reputation as an excellent scorer coming off the bench.

Steph Curry: G I 2009 - Present I Career Stats: 29.4 PPG 6.3 RPG 6.5 APG

With four championships under his belt, Steph Curry is making a case for the best point guard ever. At this point, only Magic Johnson is ahead of him. Curry finally earned a Finals MVP with last season’s championship, cementing his impressive postseason resume. Considered the greatest shooter in the game’s history, Curry holds a career .428 three-point percentage. As the head of the snake of the Warriors dynasty, he has shown the ability to be whatever the team needs him to be to win championships. He has acquiesced to Kevin Durant, Thompson, and even Andre Iguodala when needed to keep the dynasty going. But last season’s championship run showed how valuable Curry is to the Warriors, as he averaged 36 ppg in the Finals.