NBA
How Many Father-Son Combos Have Won NBA Championships?
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Over the last 75 years, we’ve seen numerous father-son duos in the Stephen Curry and Seth Curry. The list goes on and on, and there are more than you might think.
However, of all the fathers and sons to play in the NBA over the years, there’s only been five instances in which both won an NBA title.
Matt Guokas Sr., Matt Guokas Jr.
10/15/1966: Matt Guokas Jr. played 1st game for #76ers, the 1st time a father-son combination had played in NBA. Matt Sr. played w/#Warriors in 1940s & at son's debut, was sportscaster for 76ers. Matt Jr. is in center, Matt Sr. on left, 76ers owner Irv Kosloff on right in 1966. pic.twitter.com/8QjEVSZKa2
— Roundball Ramblings (@RoundballRamble) October 15, 2020
Matt Guokas Sr. and Matt Goukas Jr. are easily the least recognizable names on this list but they were the first father-son duo to win NBA championships.
Guokas Sr. was a part of the Philadelphia Warriors team that won the first recognized championship in NBA history following the 1946-47 BAA season, averaging 1.7 points. Sadly, his career was cut short when he lost his right leg in a car accident a few months after the Warriors’ victory over the Chicago Stags.
Guokas Jr. played for five teams during his 10-year career in the NBA and won his lone title as a rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1966-67. He averaged three points per game for the Wilt Chamberlain-led Sixers, who ended the Boston Celtics’ run of eight straight NBA titles.
Rick Barry, Brent Barry
Hall of Famer and eight-time NBA All-Star Rick Barry won his lone championship with the 1974-75 Golden State Warriors, averaging 29.5 points in a four-game sweep of the Washington Bullets.
Barry was lucky enough to have three sons play in the NBA: Jon, Brent, and Drew. While Jon and Drew followed in their famous father’s footsteps in wearing a Warriors uniform, Brent ed his father as an NBA champion, winning titles with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007.
Bill Walton, Luke Walton
Bill Walton (’77 and ’86) and Luke Walton (’09 and ’10) #FinalsTriviahttps://t.co/3aak5Yp6Pq
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 6, 2015
Bill Walton won the first of his two NBA titles with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, averaging 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.7 blocks against the Philadelphia 76ers on the way to winning NBA Finals MVP. The Hall of Famer won a second title as a role player with the Boston Celtics in 1986.
And speaking of role players, Luke Walton was essentially one of those his entire career. But he was undoubtedly a solid contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers and won two titles alongside Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010, making the Waltons the first combo with multiple titles each.
Mychal Thompson, Klay Thompson
Mychal Thompson played for three teams during his 12-year NBA career (13 if you count the year he didn’t play due to a leg injury), the last of which was the LA Lakers. A prolific scorer early in his career, Thompson was a role player in his Lakers days and won back-to-back titles with the Showtime crew in 1987 and 1988.
The man with the most NBA titles on this list, Klay Thompson, has been one of the critical pieces of the current Golden State Warriors dynasty, helping the Dubs to four championships in eight seasons.
Gary Payton, Gary Payton II
The newest of the father-son NBA title club are Gary Payton and Gary Payton II.
The elder Payton, a nine-time All-Star and easily one of the greatest defensive players in league history, appeared in the NBA Finals with the Seattle Supersonics and LA Lakers, losing both series. But he finally won a championship alongside Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal with the Miami Heat in 2006.
The “Young Glove” added to the Payton family’s legacy by helping the Warriors win the 2022 championship, averaging seven points in their NBA Finals victory over the Celtics. The 16-year gap between father-son title wins is the shortest on this list—a story that often intrigues fans placing bets on basketball betting sites, especially when it comes to predicting future NBA dynasties.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference
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