The 2022 NBA Draft will take place this Thursday and what better way to get more familiar with the prospects than to look at their family members who have seen similar levels of success on the basketball court. We take a look at the family ties some of this year’s top draft prospects have with professional basketball.

Paolo Banchero

The former Duke standout is a shoo-in to go top three in this year’s draft and he’ll certainly have his mother to go to for guidance and advice throughout his professional career. Rhonda Smith-Banchero was a two-time All-American in four seasons as a Washington Husky where she graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,948 points. She would spend the next several seasons playing in both the ABL (American Basketball League) and WNBA.

Jabari Smith

The projected top overall pick out of Auburn may sound familiar to some NBA fans. His father, Jabari Smith Sr., appeared in 108 NBA games from 2000 to 2005 where he averaged 3.0 points in his career with the Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets. The 20-year-old is also a cousin of 2001 first overall pick Kwame Brown. 

Ron Harper Jr.

The son of Ron Harper Sr. shows plenty of what his father did during his 15 seasons. An ability to do a little bit of everything and be a part of a winning organization, something that his father did with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers a combined five times in his career. Something Harper Jr. provides that differentiates himself from his dad? He’s got quite a bit of size to him at 6’6″ and 245 lbs., a full 60 lbs. heavier than his father was.

Scottie Pippen Jr.

Unlike the Harper father-son duo, the Pippens do not show many similarities in their respective games. Scottie Pippen Jr. stands at just 6’1″, seven inches shorter than his father which shifts his strengths completely. He is primarily an on-ball guard with a flair for playmaking but a lack of size that mostly keeps him out of the paint.

The one thing they do share is their impeccable defense. With his father known as one of the best defenders the NBA has ever seen with ten NBA All-Defensive selections, it’s no surprise that Pippen Jr. averaged 1.6 steals per contest in his 90 games with Vanderbilt.

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