At some point in each of the last five NBA Finals games, Golden State has published a lineup of four players whose parents played in the NBA. While ultimate NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry boasts a well-documented basketball pedigree through his father, Dell, it’s a trait that Curry shares with Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton second from the Warriors roster.
Each of the four are second-generation professionals and examples of the trend that will be on full display at the NBA’s next big event after the Warriors’ Championship Parade on Monday. When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took the stage at Barclays Center in New York Thursday to announce the first selection for the 2022 NBA draft, it was a guarantee that he would name a player from a high-profile family in basketball history.
Although there are no guarantees in exploring basketball — even people with significant family legacies have injuries or other difficulties — pedigree has emerged in recent years as a major component of assessing basketball talent.
It is no coincidence that four of the seven best players on CBS Sports NBA Big Board Project One parent played in the NBA and WNBA, and/or was a college athlete.
- Paulo Banchero (mother played in the WNBA; father played football in Division I college)
- Chet Holmgren (father played Division I basketball)
- Jabbari Smith (played father in the NBA)
- Jaden Ivey (Her mother played in the WNBA; father played in the NFL)
- Keegan Murray (father played Division I basketball)
- AJ Griffin (playing father in the NBA)
Prospects with an NBA mentality
“It doesn’t just mean that they bring in a more polished skill set or advanced athletic gifts — they also bring in a deeper understanding of what it takes to be successful in the NBA and what kind of mindset it takes,” said David Minkberg, a former director of scouts for the Memphis Grizzlies who most recently served as an assistant general manager for Detroit. Pistons, “Have that success.”
On seven occasions in the past 35 years, teams have used a top-five draft pick for a player whose father was also drafted into the NBA. Four of those seven players went on to become All-Stars. Of the four (Andrew Wiggins, Danny Manning, Al Horford and Kevin Love) three are still active players. Two of the other three (Mike Pepe and Mike Dunleavy Jr.) have tremendous careers. The third, Jabari Parker, enjoyed great production early in his career before a poor streak of injuries and the evolving outlook of NBA strikers slowed his production.
It’s a small sample size, but the 57.1% reach rate in the top five picks become All-Stars if they are the sons of previous draft picks, compares favorably with the 39.1% All-Star rate for all top five picks from the 2006 through 2015 NBA drafts. Despite anecdotally, the evidence for family ties as positive in assessing odds is stronger.
“If anyone has a pedigree, it’s like ‘Okay, he understands how hard it is to work and understands what level he’s going to have to compete at at night and why it’s important to develop the right habits, be good’,” Minckberg said. “If he was the son of someone who played at a high level and underwent that kind of scrutiny, he’d understand what the pressure of playing in the NBA looks like, the grind, the travel, and all of that.”
Griffin has athletic family connections
As it relates to the 2022 NBA Draft, no one Stand out for their athletic families More from A.J. Griffin. His father, Adrian Griffin, played nine seasons in the NBA, has coached in the league since 2008 and is currently an assistant for the Raptors. AJ’s brother Alan played in Syracuse, his sister Aubrey plays on the storied UConn show and his mother Audrey ran in Seton Hall.
While Banchero, Smith and Ivy are seen as sure bets that will be picked in the top half of the lottery, expectations on Griffin vary more broadly. He’s the player with the deepest patriarchal ties to basketball in the NBA, but he’s also aware of the limitations of his lineage in determining his future.
“You still have to work,” He said After training with the Portland Trail Blazers this month. “You still have to learn and do everything else everyone else does. You can benefit from wisdom and knowledge, but you still have to learn how to do it yourself too.”
If Griffin slipped due to injury concerns or questions about his defense, the front office managers who passed by him could end up holding their breath, lest they meet the same nightmares that the front office managers who passed Curry experienced when he slipped to seventh. in the 2009 NBA Draft.
“I, along with everyone who has ever worked in the NBA, when you miss a player, you kick yourself over and over again,” Mincberg said. “When you miss a player and their dad was a great player, you feel bad about it.”
Family ties help with early assessments
The NBA Draft isn’t the only world in which a sports family plays an important role in evaluating basketball odds. In fact, 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein believes they are especially important in assessing the prospects for the early stage of high school.
“It really doesn’t make sense to evaluate young children, because the best long-term prospects are often those who haven’t been physically clicked yet,” Finkelstein said. “I think knowing the family lineage is more important to the prospects of young people.”
So, as sports parents prepare to play a particularly important role at the top of the upcoming draft, their importance won’t diminish anytime soon in team or professional games.
There’s a reason the 2023 ranger DJ Wagner has ranked at or near the top of his class over the years. Yes, he is very talented and the son of former lottery pick Dajuan Wagner. But the proportions do not stop there.
DJ’s grandfather, Milt Wagner, is a Louisville basketball legend and longtime professional, which means that the DJ is on track to potentially becoming a third generation NBA draftsman as early as 2024.
“Great athletes are definitely unique and rare,” Meinberg said. “But when you get to the NBA, once you get that far, it’s usually a mental thing or something with your mentality why don’t you. The importance of having an NBA mentality, can’t be overemphasized. These guys are so amazing.” .
Happy Father’s Day on draft night
Parents and sons who were selected in the NBA draft.
| year | son of a recruit | Recruited father (year) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cole Anthony | Greg Anthony (1991) |
| 2020 | Nico Manion | Peace Manion (1983) |
| 2020 | KJ Martin | Kenyon Martin (2000) |
| 2019 | Paul Paul | Manut Paul (1985) |
| 2019 | Nicholas Claxton | Charles Claxton (1994) |
| 2018 | Gary Trent Jr. | Gary Trent (1995) |
| 2016 | Dumantas Sabonis | Arvidas Sabonis (1986) |
| 2015 | Jerian Grant | Harvey Grant (1988) |
| 2015 | Joo Young | Michael Young (1984) |
| 2015 | Larry Nance Jr. | Larry Nance (1981) |
| 2015 | Justice Winslow | Ricky Winslow (1987) |
| 2014 | Andrew Wiggins | Mitchell Wiggins (1983) |
| 2014 | Jabbari Parker | Sonny Parker (1976) |
| 2014 | Jeramy Grant | Harvey Grant (1988) |
| 2014 | Glenn Robinson III | Glenn Robinson (1994) |
| 2014 | Devine marble | Roy Marple (1989) |
| 2013 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | Tim Hardaway (1989) |
| 2013 | Eric Murphy | Jay Murphy (1984) |
| 2013 | Glen Rice Jr.. | Glenn Rice (1989) |
| 2012 | Austin Rivers | Doc Rivers (1983) |
| 2012 | Jeffrey Taylor | Jeff Taylor (1982) |
| 2011 | Nolan Smith | Derek Smith (1982) |
| 2011 | Klay Thompson | Michal Thompson (1978) |
| 2010 | Xavier Henry | Carl Henry (1984) |
| 2010 | Andy Rotten | Leo Rutin (1983) |
| 2009 | AJ . price | Tony Price (1979) |
| 2009 | Stephen Curry | Dale Cary (1986) |
| 2009 | Austin Day | Darren Day (1983) |
| 2009 | Gerald Henderson | Gerald Henderson (1978) |
| 2008 | Patrick Ewing Jr. | Patrick Ewing (1985) |
| 2008 | Kevin Love | Stan Love (1971) |
| 2007 | Alhorford | Tito Horford (1988) |
| 2007 | Torrian Green | Sydney Green (1983) |
| 2006 | Ronnie Brewer | Ron Brewer (1978) |
| 2005 | Shawn May | Scott May (1976) |
| 2004 | Jackson Froman | Brett Froman (1978) |
| 2003 | Luke Walton | Bill Walton (1974) |
| 2003 | Brian Cook | Norm Cook (1976) |
| 2002 | Daguan Wagner | Milt Wagner (1986) |
| 2002 | Mike Dunleavy Jr. | Mike Dunleavy (1976) |
| 1998 | Mike baby | Henry Baby (1972) |
| 1996 | copy print | Joe Bryant (1975) |
| 1994 | Galen Rose | Jimmy Walker (1967) |
| 1992 | Byron Houston | Curtis Perry (1970) |
| 1988 | Danny Manning | Ed Manning (1967) |