Who are KJ Martin's parents, Kenyon Martin and Heather Thompson? Exploring parentage of the recently-selected NBA Slam Dunk contestant
Houston Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr. has been confirmed to participate in the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest. Mac McClung (Philadelphia 76ers), Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans), and Jericho Sims (New York Knicks) are the other players participating in the event.
Kenyon Martin Jr. is 22 years old and the son of Kenyon Martin, a former NBA All-Star. Martin played in the NBA for 15 years and was a versatile power forward. He was selected as the first overall pick of the 2001 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. He went on to play for multiple teams, including the Denver Nuggets, the LA Clippers, the New York Knicks, and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Martin notably played for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) in 2011 before returning to the NBA. He finally retired in 2015 and has since been involved in multiple philanthropic initiatives.
Kenyon Martin Jr. has committed to participating in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, per @ShamsCharania https://t.co/3tEeMndixs
Heather Thompson will be rooting for KJ Martin during the NBA slam dunk contest
Currently, there is not a lot of information available on Heather Thompson. She was married to Kenyon Martin until 2003. Martin has since been involved with multiple women, including American rapper Trina. He was known to be paying child support to Heather for KJ Martin.
This initially included $3,000 per month of "additional child support," $7,000 per month in credit card bills, a new car every three years, and private school fees for the children. However, in 2019, Kenyon Martin was able to reduce the amount owing to his lower income after his NBA career.
Kenyon Jr. was the second player to be announced for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, which will be held in a 4-man format starting this year. He has made 39 appearances for the Houston Rockets this season.
KENYON MARTIN JR. DUNKED ALL OVER JOHN COLLINS 🤯 https://t.co/bN40cXA78R
He is averaging 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Of course, the Rockets, led by Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, are currently rebuilding and sustaining a difficult NBA season. The Rockets are currently plumping for 15th place in the Western Conference and are firmly out of the playoffs picture.
They have a record of 13-44 and will be looking to return to contention next season. The slam dunk contest could give some respite for fans, who are currently supporting a team that has lost six straight matches in the NBA. Still, there is plenty of room for optimism as the Rockets have one of the youngest rosters in the league with plenty of promise.