Division One college basketball players who are the sons of NBA superstars

Like father, like son
Examples
15 current players
Ceiling to high?
The players
Bronny James
Scorer
DJ Rodman
Defensive presence
Ryan Mutombo
Not as good
Ashton Hardaway
Coaching his son
DJ Wagner
Player of the Year
Do they have a better chance?
Like father, like son

Sons following in their father's footsteps can be a wonderful thing, and over the years, some NBA players have managed to emulate their dads, who have made their mark in the league.

Examples

From Joe Bryant and Kobe Bryant to Stephen Curry and Dell Curry, there have been a few examples where a father and son have made it to the NBA, but many more have had sons play high-level college basketball.

15 current players

There are 15 players in NCAA college basketball, who are the sons of current or former NBA superstars. Is it a blessing, or is it too much pressure?

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Ceiling to high?

Out of the 15 currently playing in the NCAA, a select few have the pressure of trying to emulate their father's All-Star careers.

The players

Here are the standout NBA player's sons who currently play NCAA Division One basketball!

Bronny James

Son of NBA GOAT LeBron James, Bronny James made his long-anticipated return to basketball and college debut for the University of Southern California last week, having been out since July after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Scorer

Bronny averaged 14 points and five rebounds as a senior in high school and has shown glimpses of his shooting touch in college. In the past three games, his scoring total has increased every game, scoring six against Alabama State Hornets.

DJ Rodman

Bronny's USC teammate is DJ Rodman, a 6ft6 small forward and the son of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. The small forward has shown a resemblance to his father in dominating the boards on the defensive end, having ten in his last game.

Defensive presence

Between 2020 and 2022, Rodman played for the Washington Cougars, averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds. Since his minutes increased last season, he averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. For USC, he will prove to be a strong defensive presence in a stacked roster.

Ryan Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo is one of the most iconic NBA centers in the past 30 years, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards after a successful spell at Georgetown. His son Ryan has followed in his steps, playing for Georgetown as well.

Not as good

Ryan had a promising freshman year for Georgetown, but the 7ft2 center has struggled to mirror after his dad's game in the last couple of seasons. He is averaging 4.3 minutes per game, down from 11 in his first season.

Ashton Hardaway

Like Ryan Mutombo, Ashton Hardaway is trying to emulate his father, a 90s NBA legend, the former Orlando Magic guard Penny Hardaway, a former all-star and All-NBA member.

Coaching his son

As a 6ft4 power forward, Hardaway can stretch the floor like his father and has inherited his father's playmaking ability. Luckily for Ashton, Penny is the coach of his college team, the Memphis Tigers.

DJ Wagner

Dajuan Wagner, the dad of superstar college player DJ Wagner, may not ring a bell in most people's minds, having played four seasons in the NBA. However, his son is expected to play in the NBA a lot longer.

Player of the Year

The Kentucky guard was a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year after leading his high school team to a 94-5. The projected 2025 lottery pick has averaged 12.8 points in his opening nine games in college.

Do they have a better chance?

The chances of making it to the NBA are slim, but with the help of fathers who have done it before, do these college players have a better chance than the rest?

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