The list of sons of NBA players hooping in college basketball seems to grow each year and here’s a look at the long list for the 2023-2024 season.
BY MATTY D.
- Bronny James
LeBron James’ son Bronny has to be the most well recognized son of an NBA star in today’s college basketball landscape. After suffering cardiac arrest in the preseason, Bronny James made his USC debut after missing several games.
He was ranked by ESPN.com as the number 19th best basketball recruit coming out of high school. USC lists the freshman at 6-4 and 210 pounds.
2. DJ Rodman
Although USC has the son of a sure-fire Hall of Fame player, USC has the son of another current Hall of Fame player. And that’s Dennis Rodman. Rodman’s son DJ Rodman had a stellar collegiate career at Washington State. Now he gets to chase an NCAA Final Four as a member of the USC Trojans. Similar to his father, DJ has a knack for rebounding. Of course, no one is the rebounder that Dennis Rodman is. However, DJ has a smooth shooting stroke and range that his father rarely showcased.
3. Augustas Marciulionis
This guy often doesn’t make these lists, but Augustas Marciulionis has been starring at St. Mary’s for years now. The Gaels are a perennial March Madness participant, and this guard is a big reason why.
Do you like old school hoops from the 80s and 90s? Do yourself a favor and watch a sample of Šarūnas Marčiulionis Career Highlights.
4. Jamal Mashburn Jr.
Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been a best-kept-secret in the second generation category because of his teams inability to make the NCAA Tournament. Mashburn Jr. started his collegiate career with Minnesota and then transferred to the New Mexico State Lobos. Unlike his father Jamal Mashburn who starred at Kentucky and in Final Fours, junior has not been able to crack the bracket yet. The last time the Gophers made the tournament was 2019. The last time the Lobos made the tournament was 2014. Hopefully, the sharpshooting Mashburn Jr. will re-introduce the family name to a national audience come March of 2024.
5. Jaelen House
Mashburn Jr. isn’t the only Lobo with a familiar last name listed on New Mexico’s roster. Jaelen House is another sharpshooting guard who is following in his father’s footsteps. Eddie House played for the Celtics, Suns and Heat in addition to also playing for the Arizona State Sun Devils (where Jaelen started his collegiate jounrey.
6. Jace Howard
Juwan Howard has now had many sons come through the NCAA Division 1 ranks. Currently, Juwan senior’s number 25 isn’t retired from this alma mater Michigan. However, the number is in good hands with his son Jace.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim is the son of former lottery pick and Grizzlies great, Shareef Adbur-Rahim.
8-9. Ashton and Jayden Hardaway
Penny Hardaway is actually coaching two of his sons with the Memphis Tigers. Jayden Hardaway has earned his minutes over the years and is now a regular rotation player with the Tigers. Ashton Hardaway is a freshman and has had his own share of bright moments this season.
10. James Keefe
Former Atlanta Hawks forward Adam Keefe’s son James has seemingly played for Stanford for the last decade. The graduate student is a forward from Los Angeles.
11. Jameer Nelson Jr.
After playing for the Delaware Hens in the Colonial Athletic League for several years, point guard Jameer Nelson Jr. has made the leap to Big 12 Basketball as he joins the TCU Horned Frogs.
The son of one of the best-ever shot blockers, Dikembe Mutumbo, makes this list without much fanfare. Ryan Mutumbo has stuck it out during a rocky tenure with Georgetown. He has seen the thrill of coach Patrick Ewing leading his team to an unlikely tournament berth as a 12 seed after winning the 2021 Big East Championship. And, he’s seen that same coach fired for a new era with Ed Cooley.
The 7 foot 2 junior plays sparingly for the Hoyas. At last check, he had played 7 of 22 games averaging just 4 minutes per. However, Mutumbo does have 28 blocks over his college career! Mutumbo’s cameo on this list bolsters the presence of second generation talent from the 1994-1996 NBA All Star game…
13. D.J. Wagner
Fans of NBA basketball from the early 2000s might remember Dajuan Wagner. But, then again, then might have forgotten him. After one of the best high school basketball careers ever, Dajuan Wagner was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Cavs in 2002. A medical condition held him back from ever having an NBA career materialize. However, Google searches for “What happened to Dajuan Wagner” are morphing into “How high is D.J. Wagner’s draft stock?” That’s because his son D.J. Wagner is starring for a Kentucky Wildcats team that’s been consistently ranked in the top 25 this year.
In recent years, Dajuan Wagner was interviewed by fellow past NBA players, Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles.
More: Mike Miller, Larry Hughes Jr.
See previous year’s rosters of 2nd generation NCAAB/NBA Talent:
College Basketball Eye Test 