Happy Father’s Day to all of you from those of us here at HoopsHabit.com. There’s no more special bond than the one between father and son and watching your son follow your footsteps is about as special as it gets. The NBA has a handful of father-son combos, from the Barry’s to the Curry’s and back to the Love’s. Let’s take a look at some of the active players who are second generation NBA players.
THE BARRYS
Perhaps the most famous basketball family would be the Barry family, with Rick Barry paving the way for his sons Jon Barry, Brent Barry and Drew Barry. Rick and Brent were the second father-son duo to win the NBA title as players, behind Matt Guokas Sr. and Matt Guokas Jr. Rick was a tremendous player in his day — never shy of confidence — as he led the NCAA in scoring (37.4), NBA (35.6) and ABA (34.0) in three separate seasons.
THE CURRYS
One of the sweetest strokes in the league once belonged to Dell Curry, who effortlessly jacked up 3-pointers like they were layups. He passed that trait along to his son Stephen Curry, who is now bombing away for the Golden State Warriors. Curry is so prolific at it that he set the NBA’s all-time mark for 3-pointers in a season with 272, which beat previous record holder Ray Allen by three. Seth Curry didn’t get as much of those genes, but he did play a game each for the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013-14 season.
THE LOVES
One of the most popular names in basketball right now is Kevin Love, due to his impending free agency and the fact that he’s a star that will alter the NBA’s landscape when he leaves the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kevin is one of those rare players who could lead the league in 3-point shooting and rebounding one day. His dad, Stan Love, had a short run in professional basketball, playing four seasons with the Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers and the ABA’s San Antonio Spurs. He’s probably most known for being the cousin to the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson.
THE THOMPSONS
Mychal Thompson was a standout player from the University of Minnesota, where he was a first team All-American selection back in 1978. His No. 43 was retired by the school after he averaged 20.8 points and 10.0 rebounds over his four-year career. He also won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987-88. His sons include Mychel Thompson, a career D-Leaguer so far and Klay Thompson, shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors. Klay made NBA All-Rookie first team in 2012 and is blossoming as a terrific shooter.
OTHERS
This is by no means a comprehensive list, as there are more than 50 combinations in the history of the NBA. Some of those others are Kobe Bryant and his dad Joe Bryant, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and his dad Mike Dunleavy Sr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. and his dad Tim Hardaway Sr. Who is your favorite father-son duo? Let us know…after you call your Dad, of course.