For some, getting some athletic genes helps a lot. Not all of us are lucky enough to have parents that played professional sports. The ones that are lucky enough, and who combine that with a strong work ethic, could be something great. We have seen greatness in the NBA from some standout players. Now, since their time has passed, they have passed the torch to their children.
- 10. Jayden Hardaway (Penny Hardaway)
- 9. Shareef O’Neal (Shaquille O’Neal)
- 8 Dennis Rodman Jr. (Dennis Rodman)
- 7. Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Shareef Abdur-Rahim)
- 6. Zaire Wade (Dwyane Wade)
- 5. Kiyan Anthony (Carmelo Anthony)
- 4. Cameron Boozer (Carlos Boozer)
- 3. Jordan Lowery (Allen Iverson)
- 2. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Scottie Pippen)
- 1. Bronny James (LeBron James)
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Some prospects could one day have their name broadcasted among announcers. Becoming a star is no easy task. It’s especially harder when you have to walk in the shadow of your dad. For these players, they have a chance to carve out their legacy and could one day be a star in the NBA under the right circumstances.
Here are those 10 players.
10. Jayden Hardaway (Penny Hardaway)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFnaxmX7F0k
Hardaway was the main contributor to the 2017 state championship he won at East High School in Memphis. He eventually joined the University of Memphis, where his father coached. He sat out his freshman year with a red shirt. When he played his first season, he played a season-high 14 minutes and scored a season-high nine points.
His play picked up his sophomore year when he averaged 10.0 minutes in 28 contests. Last year, he averaged 2.9 points per game. He will finish out his last season of eligibility with the Tigers this year.
9. Shareef O’Neal (Shaquille O’Neal)
After seeing limited time as a freshman due to six seniors, he began playing heavily for Windward High School. He drew national attention at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic for his play. He would transfer to Crossroads in Santa Monica and score 20 points in a matchup against Bol Bol. He’s 6-foot-9, 210-pound frame drew the attention of Arizona, where he originally signed. He would eventually de-commit and then sign with UCLA. At the time, he was the No. 41 overall prospect in the class of 2018 and the No. 8 power forward.
At UCLA, O’Neal played limited minutes and would leave for LSU in 2020. A foot injury limited him to 10 games in 2020-21. He played in 14 games last season and averaged 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds. He entered the transfer portal but declared for the NBA Draft after he was mistakenly placed on the list of early entrants who had withdrawn from the draft.
8 Dennis Rodman Jr. (Dennis Rodman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fupiaT2WGBQ
While Rodman did not gain his love for rebounding from his dad, he managed to turn into a pretty solid basketball player. In High School, he attended Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California. He averaged 19.6 points his sophomore year and helped the team finish 22-8. He transferred to JSerra Catholic High School and averaged 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in his junior year. His senior year saw a strong season of 24.2 points and 8.9 rebounds.
Rodman committed to Washington State University, where he remains. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds his freshman year in 26 appearances. In his sophomore year, he missed eight games due to an injury but averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Last year, he averaged 4.2 points and 4.1 rebounds. He remains at WSU to participate in his senior year.
7. Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Shareef Abdur-Rahim)
Abdur-Rahim owns the nickname “#40BallBri” for dropping back-to-back 40-point games in the 2019 Nike EYBL Summer Tournament. The first game was against 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. In high school, he attended Seton Hall Prep School where he was named NJ.com Rookie of the Year as a freshman. He transferred to Blair Academy his junior year and helped the team win the New Jersey Prep A state championship. He was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 16.6 points and 7.1 rebounds.
After missing most of his senior year with a foot injury, he was still ranked as a four-star recruit and committed to playing basketball at Virginia. He played eight games his freshman year and then entered the transfer portal. He committed to the University of Georgia but did not play last season.
6. Zaire Wade (Dwyane Wade)
Wade played his freshman year at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. He then transferred to play at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. For his senior year, he transferred to Sierra Canyon School, where he played alongside Bronny James. He had offers from DePaul, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Toledo.
He finished his career as the No. 76 rated recruit but decided to enter the G-League. He was selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2021 G-League Draft by the Salt Lake Stars. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12 games. He lost the majority of his season due to a season-ending injury and he was then waived the same day. He is now a free agent.
5. Kiyan Anthony (Carmelo Anthony)
Anthony’s son is just 15 years old but could be a future top prospect. With his dad going down as one of the greatest scorers of all time, there will be a lot of pressure on Anthony these next few years. With that said, it appears he is up for the challenge. He is already a top-25 recruit for the class of 2025. He plays point guard and plays it well.
Last year, the family announced that he would play high school basketball at Christ the King in Queens, New York. The school has won four New York State Federation championships and six of the last 10 CHSAA Intersectional titles. He will be a name you want to keep an eye out for the next few years.
4. Cameron Boozer (Carlos Boozer)
We need to give a shout-out to Boozer’s twin Cayden. The two Boozers are on the top-25 list for the class of 2025 according to ESPN. With that said, Cameron is the No. 1 rated prospect for the class. Boozer is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound power forward that played at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida.
Currently, he has offers from Duke, Florida State, Miami, and Michigan. That list will likely grow as his career continues. Their dad was the No. 35 pick in 2002. If his kids continue this progression, they will exceed their dad’s draft position by a lot.
3. Jordan Lowery (Allen Iverson)
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree here. Iverson finished his career as the best combo guard of all time. Of his five children, Lowery appears to have the most talent. He is already regarded as a top recruit in Texas, where he is viewed as the top point guard prospect in the state.
He just completed his freshman year and has started to gain national recognition. He has Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Saint Louis all interested. It has been reported that Saint Louis and OSU have already given him an offer.
2. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Scottie Pippen)
Pippen has already played with some NBA talent during his high school career. Before his junior year, the family moved to Los Angeles so he could play at Sierra Canyon School. There, he played alongside teammates Marvin Bagley III, Kenyon Martin Jr., and Cassius Stanley. As a senior, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds to help his team win the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division state title.
Pippen signed with Vanderbilt University where he was a two-time All-SEC First Team selection. He averaged 20.4 points, 4.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game as a junior. He decided to forgo his senior year and entered the NBA Draft. He is viewed as the 10th best point guard in the draft and has drawn comparisons to Fred VanVleet.
1. Bronny James (LeBron James)
Since birth, James has been under the spotlight. He was born to his 19-year-old father who was a developing star in the NBA. Bronny’s entire life has featured LeBron in the NBA. With that said, he has developed a name of his own with his sports career. By 2014, he was receiving national attention for his highlights. He was guiding his fourth-grade AAU teams to tournament championships.
In Mary 2019, James transferred to Sierra Canyon School. As a freshman, he averaged 4.1 points in 15 minutes per game. However, he lost his sophomore year due to a torn meniscus, which required surgery. James remains the No. 40 ranked recruit in the class of 2023 according to ESPN. He has Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and UCLA all on his list with Kentucky the only school having given an offer.
