In the NBA, we often see a few players who are able to dominate the league for over a decade. This includes the likes of LeBron James, Chris Paul, Shaquille O’Neal, Carmelo Anthony, and so on. These players came into the league at a young age and were able to remain superstars for a long period of time and stay at the top of the competition.
These players grew up with the league. But what the fans fail to realize now is that most of these players have kids, and some of them are now eyeing to follow in their parent’s footsteps and make it to the NBA themselves.
Kevin Garnett is the proud uncle of all the NBA kids
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Recently, Kevin Garnett shared a video from Courtside Films on Instagram. He captioned it by saying “Great to see all the lil nephews all growing up and doing there thing”. Among the kids with aspirations to get into the league, a few names caught the eye of the fans.
It didn’t seem long since we saw the iconic picture of Rajon Rondo and his celebration on the court. This was following his championship victory with the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble. But Rajon Rondo Jr. is currently a top talent in high school and is on the path to making it to the NBA in the future. He is the one kid who plays the most like his dad, besides Kiyan Anthony. Kiyan is the son of Carmelo Anthony, and as soon as he calls for an iso, it’s clear to see the resemblance of his dad in his game.
Chris Paul’s son, Chris Paul Jr., is talented but really young. It will be a while before we see him in the NBA. On the other hand, Dominique Wilkins’s son, Jacob Dominique Wilkins, is 16. He is following in his dad’s footsteps by being a human highlight reel and dunking on everyone in his path.
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The top-ranked kid for 2025 is Cameron Boozer, son of Carlos Boozer. His size and game put him far above everyone else in his class. But the only one who can catch up to him is his twin brother, Cayden Boozer, who is also fantastic on the court.
Shaq’s daughter, Me’arah O’Neal, after finishing her collegiate career, will likely make it to the WNBA and will hopefully be a star in the league.
But the one who saw the most improvement in his game is the son of LeBron James. It’s not his first son that everyone has been hyping about, but his second son, Bryce Maximus James. Following his growth spurt, his smooth play style and footwork are definitely things that will translate to the next level.
Second-generation players in the league
There are merits and demerits to having a parent who has played in the league. This can be a blessing to some, but it can also lead to a downfall if you are not strong enough. The major advantage of having someone who knows about the game is that they understand what needs to be done to get better.
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The kids of these players have access to the best coaches and, often, the best types of equipment. They have someone who can give them the knowledge they need to get better. They can focus on exactly what they need to do to make it in the league.
But at the same time, when you are the son of an NBA player, people already expect you to be good. This can put pressure on the kids and eventually lead to them not performing up to the standard set by the people.
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There are many examples of this, like Shareef O’Neal, Tim Hardaway Jr., Scottie Pippen Jr., and Bol Bol. These are some players who came into the league with so much hype just based on their names. But they never got to reach the level set by the fans. On the other hand, players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins are a few of the players who have surpassed their parents and fans’ expectations.
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