LeBron James, Andrew Wiggins and more: 5 NBA superstars whose parents were involved in controversies
NBA superstars are capable of putting on a fantastic show that keeps fans coming back to games. Unfortunately, many of them have been included in some controversies.
Even if players avoid controversies, some people close to them are put in the spotlight and closely followed.
Several times, parents of NBA superstars have been involved in controversies. In this article, we take a look at who they are.
1) LeBron and Gloria James
LeBron James is the most popular NBA superstar and one of the greatest players in the history of the league. Due to this, it's not surprising that he's been involved in so many controversies.
However, LeBron's mom, Gloria, has also been quite controversial. During his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James played with Delonte West, who apparently dated his mom.
2) LaMelo, Lonzo, and LaVar Ball
Lonzo Ball received a lot of hate when he entered the league in 2017. Not only was he drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most popular franchises, but his dad LaVar was also very controversial.
LaVar was very outspoken and wanted his son to have his own shoe brand. He also kept appearing on TV and talking about basketball, even comparing his son to Michael Jordan.
Supporting your kids is admirable, but LaVar has crossed the line. Even some players, like Channing Frye, believed that a lot of fans disliked Lonzo Ball because of his father.
Lonzo's brother LaMelo was drafted in 2020 and the two of them should become very popular in a few years. Becoming an NBA superstar is not easy, but they have all it takes.
3) Dennis and Philander Rodman
Dennis Rodman has been involved in more controversies than most NBA players. However, his father is also a somewhat controversial figure.
The NBA superstar rebounder grew up without his father. Philander Rodman became a member of the U.S. Air Force in 1970s and stayed in the Philippines from then until his death.
The two met in 2012 in Manila and Dennis had no hard feelings for his estranged father. Philander, who died at the age of 79, fathered 29 children to 16 different women.
4) Andrew and Mitchell Wiggins
Becoming an NBA superstar is extremely difficult, yet many fans believe Andrew Wiggins would be better off than LeBron James. Things haven't gone that well for the Golden State Warriors forward, but he can't complain since he won the championship ring a few months ago.
What many fans don't know is that Mitchell Wiggins, Andrew's father, was also an NBA player. Mitchell joined the league in 1983 and averaged 12.4 points for the Chicago Bulls in his first year in the league.
A few years later, he tested positive for cocaine, earning a two-and-a-half year suspension from the league.
5) Kevin Porter Jr. and Bryan Kevin
Kevin Porter Jr. has a lot of potential and his rise to NBA superstardom has been fun to watch. In early 2022, the Houston Rockets guard hit a huge game-winner against the Washington Wizards, which started an avalanche of media attention.
Washington announcer Glenn Consor said the following right after the big shot:
“You’ve got to give credit. Kevin Porter Jr., like his dad, pulled that trigger right at the right time.”
He referred to Bryan Kevin Porter, the father of the Rockets' amazing scorer. In 1993, Bryan Kevin Porter was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for first-degree manslaughter of a 14-year-old girl.
He claimed that the weapon was fired accidentally, but was still sentenced. Unfortunately, Kevin Porter Jr.'s dad was shot and killed in 2004, which made the announcer's comments even worse.