The conversation about upcoming prospects with NBA fathers always starts with Bronny James, and how could it not? The 2023 prospect has been in the headlines for years due to his standing as the offspring of arguably the greatest player to ever pick up a basketball.
There are more players with NBA bloodlines headed down the recruiting pipe, however. Some will arrive on the national stage faster than others, but they all provide some level of intrigue.
This week in I've Got Five On it, Rivals.com has a look at high school prospects not named James that boast impressive basketball bloodlines and will be on the college basketball scene before you know it.
SON OF: Former Memphis star Dajuan Wagner, who played for the John Calipari, led the Tigers in the early 2000s. Wagner left school early and was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.
WHAT TO KNOW: The most well-known prospect on this list, Wagner is the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2023 and will have his pick of nearly any college or professional option once his high school career comes to a close. That said, his family’s close relationship with Calipari has been well documented, and Kentucky has long looked like the frontrunner to land the five-star guard should he elect to attend college.
A skilled combo guard that gets to his spots with relative ease and can finish at all three levels, Wagner has long been a familiar name in basketball circles.
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SON OF: Michigan State great Jason Richardson, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and won a pair of All-Star Weekend dunk contests during an impressive NBA career.
WHAT TO KNOW: Richardson’s father was born in Michigan, but the four-star guard has lived on the West Coast for most of his life. Jase Richardson has been to East Lansing only once, at the age of five, but intends to visit in college research capacity down the road.
He already holds an offer from the Spartans and schools such as USC, Cincinnati, UCLA, Arizona and Stanford are also involved to differing extents. Richardson attends Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School.
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SONS OF: Duke star turned two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. He was the second overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.
WHAT TO KNOW: Just freshmen, the Boozer twins are already making noise at Miami’s Christopher Columbus High school, which sits just six miles away from the University of Miami’s campus. That said, Duke has to be seen as the favorite here should the Blue Devils decide to assert themselves down the road.
Cameron is a gifted scorer at the forward position and shines as a shot blocker, while Cayden plays the point guard spot at the high school level and can impact games as both a scorer and facilitator. Both players were born and raised in Miami.
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SON OF: NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony, who won a national title at Syracuse before embarking on his hall-of-fame level pro career. Anthony was the No. 3 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and currently plays for the Lakers.
WHAT TO KNOW: Just a freshman at New York City’s famed Christ the King High School, Anthony has impressive length for his age. What level of Division-I prospect he’ll become is a bit unclear at this early juncture, but his size, ball-handling ability and developing shooting touch make him an intriguing young player. He already holds a scholarship offer from Bryant and more will arrive as his high school career progresses.
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Kalek House
SON OF: Two-time All-Pac 12 selection Eddie House, who played at Arizona State and remains the school’s all-time scoring leader to this day. His long professional career included an NBA Championship, which he won in 2008 as a member of the Boston Celtics.
WHAT TO KNOW: Just an eighth-grader, the Arizona-based House is yet to hit high school so there’s not much to say about his college recruitment or how he projects as a prospect. His older brother, Jaelen, was a top-100 prospect in the 2019 class and played two seasons at Arizona State before transferring to New Mexico prior to this season.
