Sibling rivalry: Iconic brothers who played in the NBA

Brothers Ausar and Amen Thompson had the supremely neat experience of being selected in back-to-back picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Fans are already anticipating the first faceoff. The league has a long history of sibling rivalries, let's take a look at some.

From day one, it seemed like Pau was going to be able to leave an indelible mark on the NBA. He was a top three pick of the Memphis Grizzlies, and had pristine fundamental ability. It took a little while for his brother Marc to find his footing. Ironically, he would also make a name for himself with the Grizzlies, after he was part of a trade that sent Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers.

It’s not often that a trio of brothers makes it to the NBA, but Jon, Brent and Drew had some excellent bloodlines. Their father Rick Barry is a 12-time All-Star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. None of Rick’s sons had quite the career their dad put together, but Brent did win the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest.

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Dominique is an NBA legend, with one of the coolest nicknames of all time. The Human Highlight Film would take no prisoners as he used his supreme athleticism to dunk over and through anyone in his path. Gerald was no slouch, though, as he carved out a solid 13-year NBA tenure for himself.

Although they aren’t talked about a lot in the present day, an argument can be made that the Van Arsdale’s are the most successful set of brothers in NBA history. Richard was an All-Star three times in his career, making plays on both sides of the floor. Tom also made three All-Star teams, and was a renowned member of the Kings franchise.

Brook and Robin have been a package deal for a long time, as the twins played high school and college basketball together. Since their Stanford days, the Lopez’s have always seemed to embrace the fun of high-level basketball. When they aren’t busy antagonizing mascots, they’re also pretty good players. Brook won a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

Speaking of twins who played at Stanford, the Collins twins preceded the Lopez twins at the University. Jason and Jarron didn’t have flashy skill sets, but they were reliable centers who would provide toughness and physicality in the paint. Jason made history by becoming the first openly gay active NBA player, coming out in May 2013.

Fans were used to seeing Horace play meaningful minutes for championship teams throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s. He won three titles with the Chicago Bulls, and would add to his ring collection with the Los Angeles Lakers a decade later. Harvey would play 11 season in the NBA, most notably wit the Washington Bullets.

Jeff would end up making one All-Star team in his career, and was viewed as the definition of a solid point guard for the better part of a decade. He was a member of the 2021 Bucks championship team. Younger brother Marquis bounced around the NBA for a few years in the 2010s, but was never able to latch on consistently.

The Morris' have been a staple of the NBA since the 2011-2012 season. The twins have very similar playing styles. Both are power forwards who can stretch the floor by knocking down three-pointers. They’re also both rugged players who don’t back down from their opponents.

In his heyday with the Los Angeles Clippers, Blake was one of the most exciting players in league history. The power with which he threw down dunks brought fans out of their seats. He even slammed it down over a car in the 2011 dunk contest. Taylor only had a cup of coffee in the NBA, playing in eight games for the Phoenix Suns in 2009-2010.

In a discussion involving the purest scorers the game has ever seen, Bernard is usually mentioned towards the beginning. He had an array of moves that left him free to get open shots off, which usually connected. Albert was a good player as well, averaging 12 points per game during his nine-year NBA career.

It’s very rare that a player is intimately linked with a specific shot type, but George and the finger roll will go together forever. His ability to roll the ball expertly off of his fingertips and over the outstretched arms of defenders was truly something to watch. Derrick played for two seasons with the New Jersey Nets, averaging just over eight points per game.

Michael Jordan rightfully gets most of the acclaim for the Bulls’ success in the 1990s, but John has a special place during that run. He drilled a game-winning three pointer in Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals that clinched the title for Chicago. Jim played in the league for some competitive Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics teams in the 1980s.

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Mark was highlighted as a player that kids should watch play and shoot, as his intelligence and form were nothing short of textbook. Even though he’s not thought of as one of the game’s greatest point guards, he made the All-Star team four times. Brent was largely a reserve guard for his career, which spanned nine seasons.

George’s name is branded in the very fabric of basketball history, as he was the first truly dominant player when the NBA began. He won five championships for the Minneapolis Lakers in the BAA/NBA. Ed was also part of the league’s early days, as he played from 1948 through 1954. He played for six teams in his career.

There was a lot of momentum following Ed when he entered the NBA. He was a star on the UCLA Bruins, and came off winning a college national title in 1995. However, he struggled mightily in the NBA, only playing in the league for two years. Charles would also end up playing two years for the Detroit Pistons.

Klay has been a vital cog on four Golden State Warriors championship teams. The five-time All-Star is one of the most lethal shooters in basketball history, and played stellar perimeter defense before his knee injuries. Mychel made a brief appearance in the NBA in 2011-2012, playing in five games for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Speaking of the Warriors, the franchise would not be where they are today without the legendary exploits of Steph. While Thompson is an amazing shooter, Stephen is simply the best to ever do it in that regard. According to ESPN, Seth is also a marksman from the outside, as he’s a career 43% shooter from deep.

Talk about some memorable alliteration. Mason, Marshall and Miles are all centers who played their college ball at Duke University. Marshall and Miles didn’t really stick in the NBA, playing parts of nine seasons combined. Mason has been a very good player since 2013, providing rim protection and rebounding at an impressive clip.

One notable trio of centers is followed up by another, as the Zeller brothers can also say that they’ve all suited up in NBA games. Luke and Tyler would have similar careers to that of Marshall and Miles Plumlee, whereas Cody has been the one that has stuck around. Cody is fresh off of an NBA Finals appearance with the Miami Heat.

When players are identified by their first name, they’ve achieved a special place in NBA lore. Granted, Giannis’ last name is difficult to say, but two-time MVP and NBA champion has a chance to be one of the greatest players to ever play. Giannis, Thanasis, Kostas and Alex (who plays in the G-League) all rose to prominence after significant challenges during their childhood.

Their father LaVar would tell you that they are the best thing since sliced bread. The Ball brothers came into the league with a lot of attention and hype, but one of their careers seems to be in jeopardy. Lonzo has a mysterious knee injury that doctors can’t seem to figure out. LaMelo has a tantalizing skill set, and is looking to lead the Charlotte Hornets back to the postseason.

Goran’s introduction to the NBA came as a member of the Phoenix Suns, where he was a primary backup to Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash. He was exposed to a competitive winning environment right away, and was named the Most Improved Player in 2013-2014. Zoran played 16 career NBA games, all coming in 2014-2015 for the Suns and Miami Heat.

These two brothers hope to carry on the strong Spanish lineage that the Gasol brothers started. Willy has been on a few NBA teams, but his ability to rebound at an astounding rate has been pretty apparent since he was a rookie. Juancho possesses a little more offensive skill than his brother. He is perhaps best known for starring in the movie Hustle, with Adam Sandler.

It’s always fun to see pictures of the three brothers in games that they’ve played against one another. Aaron has spent his career as a reserve guard, while Justin has been a solid forward for a while now. Jrue is the best of the bench, as he’s known as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He won a title with Milwaukee in 2021.

The Jones brothers have been making their mark as solid traditional point guards, who look to get their teammates involved before hunting for their own shots. Tyus will have an opportunity to play big minutes for the Washington Wizards after the June 2023 trade from the Memphis Grizzlies. Tre has been an ascending player for the San Antonio Spurs.

It can be argued that no player made more money for himself than Caleb during the 2023 NBA playoffs. He was part of the Heat rotation throughout the season, but became one of their most important players when it mattered most. His brother Cody is still looking to make the jump, as he’s spent four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.

Jaden and Jalen have very similar names and very similar games. Both players are versatile athletically, as they can guard on the perimeter and look to focus on shutting down their opponent. Jaden has played three seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jalen has played four seasons, for the Charlotte Hornets and most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Fans across the league feel like Evan might be one of the next great players in the NBA. He was in the running for Defensive Player of The Year in 2022-2023, and has an improving offensive skill set. Isaiah was also on the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, getting into 13 games. It’ll be interesting to see if the organization keeps the brothers together in the future.

Franz is one of the most intriguing players in the league. At 6'10 ft, he seems like he can do it all, including handling the ball to initiate the offense. His brother Moritz also played for the Orlando Magic in the last few years and has shown to be valuable as well. The Magic have some interesting decisions to make in the coming seasons about how they will deploy their young players.

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