5 NBA sons who turned out better than their fathers feat. Steph Curry
There's something incredible about an NBA star passing the torch to his son. Such was the case for the Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry and the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson. Their fathers paved the way for their sons by setting up a standard for how to play basketball, and they surpassed the expectations associated with them.
It’s usually a tall task to reach the heights accomplished by their fathers who had the basketball resume to back up their place in the league’s history. Making a name for oneself in the NBA is no easy feat to accomplish as there are players who find themselves out of the league after a short stint.
Five NBA sons who outshined their fathers
#5, Al Horford (Tito Horford)
Tito Horford was the 39th pick in the 1988 draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He only played two seasons with Milwaukee, averaging 1.5 points (30.0% shooting), before spending the next three seasons overseas before returning for three games with the Washington Bullets in 1993-94.
His son surpassed his stature as one of the best forwards at the height of his career and later transitioned to a veteran role with incredible longevity.
Compared to his father's offensive game, Horford adapted his style of play to suit a basketball era that thrives on three-point shooting. He is coming off a 41.9% shooting year from beyond the arc. Aside from his offense, "Big Al" is also one of the best defenders even at this stage of his career due to his basketball IQ and strength utilization at the post.
Al Horford, a two-time All-American, led Florida to two NCAA titles before being drafted No. 3 in 2007. He's been an All-Star five times and has helped the Boston Celtics to the title last season and an NBA Finals appearance in 2022.
#4, Jaren Jackson (Jaren Jackson Sr.)
The 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year is one of the league's most promising talents.
His father, Jaren Jackson Sr., played 12 NBA seasons despite being undrafted out of Georgetown. He is known for his contributions to the San Antonio Spurs' 1999 championship run with his ability to hit 3-pointers.
Meanwhile, Jaren Jackson Jr. mirrored his father's skill set as a floor spacer while also being one of the league's best defensive forwards. He is also coming off a career year with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 22.5 points (44.4% shooting) and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Jackson was the No. 4 pick in 2018 after being the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He's twice led the NBA in blocks, was an All-Star in 2022-23 and has been named to the All-Defensive team twice.
#3, Klay Thompson (Mychal Thompson)
Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 draft, was a two-time NBA champion with the LA Lakers, where he provided reliable perimeter shooting. His son Klay Thompson, on the other hand, cemented himself as one of the all-time great shooters in league history.
Similar to his former Warriors teammate Stephen Curry, Thompson is lethal from beyond the arc. Aside from his offensive game, he was also a steady defensive presence for Golden State during their dynasty era.
Klay, the No. 11 pick in the 2011 draft, is a five-time All-Star as well as a four-time champion.
#2, Jalen Brunson (Rick Brunson)
Rick Brunson, who was undrafted in 1995, played for eight teams in nine NBA seasons and is far from the player that his son Jalen ended up becoming. The Knicks guard started making noise during his time fourth season with the Dallas Mavericks. However, he started to enter MVP conversations when he took his talents to New York as the face of the franchise.
Last season, Brunson, a second-round pick in 2018, put up 28.7 points (47.9% shooting) and 6.7 assists per game.
#1, Stephen Curry (Dell Curry)
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry's father Dell Curry was the 1993-94 Sixth Man of the Year and was also a marksman from beyond the arc. Curry was the Metro Conference Player of the Year and a second-team All-American before being the No. 15 pick of the Utah Jazz in 1986. He went on to a 16-year NBA career.
However, the two-time MVP is too much to handle even for his father.
Steph Curry, the No. 7 pick in 2009, is a four-time champion and a 10-time All-Star who carved out a place on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point king, established himself as the premier shooter who could get his shot off anytime he wanted, against any type of defensive coverage thrown at him. The handles are electric, and his quickness is a headache to overcome for several defenders.