There are plenty of father-son duos in NBA history, but Lebron and Bronny James will become the first to play together on the same court. The next closest gap was Damien and Gerald Wilkins, who had five years and 298 days between appearances. There have been many father-son duos where one or the other didn't have much success, but five have each won an NBA Championship during their careers. It's safe to say that being the first father-son duo to play with each other should put Lebron and Bronny James on the list of the top duos. However, which other four had enough success to include?
Before getting into the list, there are some honorable mentions, as we have some notable names that once had a son play in the NBA. Rick Brunson and Jalen Brunson come to mind, as Rick had the chance to coach Jalen with the Knicks. You also have Matt Guokas Jr and Sr, who became the first father-son duo to win an NBA Championship. There's also the story of Kenyon Martin and Kenyon Martin Jr, who are the freshest in the minds of this generation. Most fans remember Kenyon retiring in 2015 and were likely shocked when they turned on their televisions and saw his son getting drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020.
There was a clear top-five of father-son duos in the NBA, but let's slide Lebron and Bronny James into the conversation and rank these six.
6. Rick Barry and Brent Barry
Rick Barry made his NBA debut in 1965 after an ultra-successful NCAA career. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 1965 and won the nation's scoring title. Rick continued that success in the NBA, winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1966 and the scoring title in 1967. He made the All-NBA First Team five times and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. Rick's greatest achievement was winning the NBA Championship and Finals MVP in 1975.
Brent didn't have the same star power as his father, but he was a role player in the Spurs dynasty of the late 2000s. He never averaged more than 14.4 points, and those numbers dropped under ten points per game with the Spurs, but he won two NBA Championships in 2005 and 2007.
5. Lebron James and Bronny James
The King doesn't need his accolades written off, as he is one of the greatest players ever. He is a 20-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP. Bronny may not have debuted for the Lakers yet, but the presence of Lebron in this pairing is enough to debut them at No. 5. Bronny's ceiling is a Brent Barry-type player, as he will be a depth, role player on any squad he's apart of for the rest of his career. Lebron wishes that he and Bronny will be next in line to be a father-son duo that wins an NBA title, as they are already the first to play in the league concurrently.
Wouldn't it be something if Lebron and Bronny James make the list of NBA champions by winning it together next season? If Lebron can wait a little longer, he may get to play with both of his sons, as Bryce is also waiting in the wings.
4. Gary Payton and Gary Payton II
Gary Payton is another of the best players ever, but he was known more for his defensive work than his offense. He is a nine-time All-Defensive first-team, one-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a nine-time NBA All-Star. Payton finally won his first NBA Championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat.
Gary Payton II may not have the same upside as his father once had, but he is still a crucial member of some good teams. Payton II's greatest accomplishment came in 2022 when he and his father became the fifth father-son duo to win an NBA title. Payton joined the Warriors in 2021 and made an immediate impact, getting the honor of sticking around for another season. He played a crucial defensive role in the finals and had 15 points, five rebounds, and three steals in Game 5.
3. Dell Curry, Seth Curry, and Stephen Curry
It isn't hard to tell where Stephen Curry received his lethal three-point shooting. Dell was a great shooter in his own right, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 for his work off the bench. He was Charlotte's all-time leader in points, games played, three-point field goals made, and three-point field goal percentage.
Steph is another player whose story is well-written. Stephen is one of the best players of the modern era, winning four NBA Championships, ten all-star games, and two MVPs, and is the all-time leader in three-pointers made. Curry will retire as the greatest shooter the game has ever seen and will own a record that may never be topped if he has another few good years of shooting.
Seth Curry may not have the accolades as his father and brother, but he's been a valuable player on some good teams during his 11-year career. Seth finished the season with Charlotte, which was a special moment for Charlotte-legend Dell.
2. Bill Walton and Luke Walton
Bill Walton's career accolades aren't talked about enough. An injury-plagued end to his career ended his bids at more accomplishments, but he still retired with a shelf full of awards. He was a two-time NCAA Champion, a two-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, a three-time National College Player of the Year, and a three-time consensus All-American. Bill didn't stop after college, winning two NBA Championships, a finals MVP, and a regular season MVP.
Luke also didn't live up to his father's massive shadow, but he did play big minutes on the Los Angeles Lakers during their run through the 2000s. Walton's career-high was 11.4 points per game in 2006-07, but he won back-to-back NBA Championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He didn't play as big of a role in those years but averaged 15.8 minutes off the bench in the first championship.
1. Mychal Thompson and Klay Thompson
No father-son duo has as many NBA Championships between them as this one. Mychal Thompson starred with the Lakers during the late 1980s as part of the end of the showtime squad. He, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy made up a four-headed monster of former first-overall draft selections. Mychal was a two-time NBA Champion, averaging 13.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game.
Klay's Golden State career hasn't gone as he may have liked in the past few years, but that doesn't mean we can't acknowledge his contributions to the team. Klay is a four-time NBA Champion, five-time NBA all-star, and one-half of the Splash Brothers that changed basketball along with Stephen Curry.
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