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Notable Father-Son Pairings to Play in the NBA As Bronny James Joins LeBron

Tom Dierberger

Charlotte color commentator Dell Curry greets his son, Golden State guard Steph Curry, before a Hornets-Warriors game at Chase Center.
Charlotte color commentator Dell Curry greets his son, Golden State guard Steph Curry, before a Hornets-Warriors game at Chase Center. / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
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The biggest storyline heading into the 2024 NBA draft is the future of Bronny James.

James, the 19-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, is projected to be a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, which begins Wednesday and wraps up Thursday.

The younger James, who stands 6'4" and weighs 210 pounds, suffered cardiac arrest in July 2023 but still was able to play as a freshman at USC. In 25 games for the Trojans last season, James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per contest. Those numbers don't exactly pop off the stat sheet, but NBA scouts were impressed by James's performance at the draft combine in May.

Has any father-son pairing played together on the same NBA team?

No. In fact, there hasn't been a father-son duo playing in the NBA at the same time, even on different teams. The James family could become the first if Bronny is drafted this week and makes the active roster of his new team.

LeBron James publicly stated in the past that he wants to play with Bronny, and there was speculation that his decision on where to play next would depend on where his son is selected in the NBA draft—although his agent Rich Paul denied that claim in recent weeks. LeBron has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season on his contract. He has three options: He could opt into that deal and play another season for the Lakers, opt out and agree to a new contract with Los Angeles or opt out and become a free agent and sign elsewhere.

LeBron has until June 29 to make his choice on whether or not to exercise his player option.

Who are some notable father-son duos to play in the NBA?

Joe Bryant and Kobe Bryant

Joe Bryant was the No. 14 pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA draft but made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers later that year. Bryant, nicknamed "Jellybean," played eight seasons in the NBA, averaging 8.7 points per game until he took his game overseas to Europe in 1983.

Kobe Bryant, born in '78 when his dad was still playing for the 76ers, was selected by the Hornets with the No. 13 pick in the 1996 draft and traded to the Lakers. He went on to win five NBA championships and was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after tragically passing away in a helicopter accident in 2020.

The Bryant duo has scored more points than any other father-son combination in NBA history with 38,895 points—with 33,643 points coming from the younger Bryant.

Dell Curry, Steph Curry and Seth Curry

There was a Curry splashing from beyond the arc long before Steph Curry debuted for the Warriors in 2009.

Dell Curry, the No. 15 pick by the Utah Jazz in 1986, knocked down three-pointers at a 40.2% clip over 16 seasons for the Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets. He spent 10 years of his career in Charlotte and was named the 1993-94 Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 16.3 points off the bench for the Hornets that year.

Seven years after Curry retired from the NBA, his skinny 6'2" son Steph was drafted with the No. 9 pick by Golden State. Curry, of course, is the NBA's all-time leading three-point shooter with 8,805 makes over 15 seasons—and counting. His younger brother, Seth Curry, has put together a solid career as well, averaging 10.4 points per game over 11 seasons for nine different organizations.

Steph and Dell Curry are the second-highest scoring father-son duo in NBA history with a combined 36,338 points as the Warriors guard enters the 2024-25 NBA season.

Arvydas Sabonis and Domantas Sabonis

A first-round pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1986, Arvydas Sabonis didn't make his NBA debut until he was 31 years old in '96. Sabonis is known as one of the greatest European players of all time, winning the Euroscar—given to Europe's best basketball player—six times.

Just like his dad, Domantas Sabonis is a center known for his passing and playmaking skills. Sabonis spent one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and five with the Indiana Pacers before joining the Sacramento Kings in 2022 and helping snap the franchise's 17-year playoff drought.

Rick Barry and Brent Barry

Rick Barry is one of the greatest scores in basketball history. Over 14 seasons—10 in the NBA and four in the ABA—Barry averaged 24.8 points per game and led the league in scoring twice. Barry never won an MVP award, but he finished in the top five in voting six times and helped the Warriors win the 1975 NBA championship, the first since the franchise moved to the Bay Area.

Three of Barry's five sons—Brent, Drew and Jon—each put together respectable NBA careers, and his other sons Canyon and Scooter played professionally overseas. Brent Barry had the best career of his brothers, playing from 1995 to 2009 for six teams and winning two titles with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and '07.

Mychal Thompson and Klay Thompson

Steph Curry isn't the only Warriors four-time champion with a basketball-famous father.

Mychal Thompson starred for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in college and was the top pick in the 1978 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds over 935 games, wrapping up his career by winning two championships with the Lakers in 1987 and '88.

Thompson drained one of just 12 three-point attempts over his 13-year career. His son, Klay Thompson, took a different path to the league.

Klay Thompson teamed up with Curry in the Bay Area to form the greatest shooting backcourt to ever take the court. Entering the 2024-25 season, Thompson ranks sixth in NBA history with 2,481 three-point makes while shooting 41.3% from deep over 11 seasons. Thompson helped establish a dynasty in the Bay, winning four championships with the Warriors in 2015, '17, '18 and '22.

Bill Walton and Luke Walton

The late, great Bill Walton put together one of the most impressive collegiate careers in basketball history, being named the National Player of the Year three times and winning two championships at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden.

Walton fought through injury issues for most of his NBA career but was named the league MVP in 1977-78 and the Sixth Man of the Year in 1985-86. Walton led the Trail Blazers to their only NBA championship in franchise history in 1977, and he won another title with the Boston Celtics in '86.

His son, Luke Walton, spent nine years with the Lakers and played 71 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2013. Walton was primarily a depth piece in his playing career, only averaging double figures in one season (11.4 points per game in 2006-07), but he has put together a coaching career at the NBA level and served the head boss for the Lakers and Kings.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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