Here’s what Emma Lingan, Adam Kierszenblat and Wyatt Thomas discussed in this episode:
1:15: Initial thoughts on the Buffalo Sabres trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth?
4:35: The Vancouver Canucks have just over $7 million in cap space after trading for Evander Kane, and they may need to replace Brock Boeser. Will they re-sign Pius Suter to fill that role, or will they trade off assets to give them more flexibility?
9:20: Will Evan Bouchard get a deal done with the Oilers to avoid any drama, and will this help Edmonton avoid a cap crunch while they look to re-sign Connor McDavid?
14:30: Where could the Calgary Flames trade defensemen Rasmus Andersson if a deal gets done?
19:00: How will the Los Angeles Kings replace Tanner Jeannot's physicality while also adding someone who can provide more in the offensive zone?
23:35: Will adding Mason Marchment help the Seattle Kraken become more competitive next season? What else do they need to add?
27:55: Reilly Smith signed an extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Do we think it was the right move?
The Chicago Blackhawks have options with the third overall pick. The consensus top two picks are defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters and Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit. The New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks have the first and second picks, respectively.
With those two seemingly off the board, at least we thought, that leaves a group of good but raw, talented forwards to consider. James Hagens, Porter Martone, Caleb Desnoyer, and Anton Frondell are the players in question. Chicago wants Misa, but trading up in this draft doesn’t seem possible.
However, there are new conflicting reports that the San Jose Sharks are incredibly interested in Frondell as the second overall pick. If the Islanders don’t shock the world and avoid taking Schaefer, and the Sharks go with Frondell, that would leave Misa for the Hawks to select third.
If that were to be the case, Chicago would be getting their guy. Misa is a high-end offensive talent who has the ceiling of an NHL star.
During the 2024-25 season, Misa had a huge year for the Spirit, who play in the OHL. In 65 games played, he scored 62 goals and had 72 assists for 134 points. Even in the OHL, that's a lot of goals and points.
Misa is 6'1"/183 lbs and is a center who may end up being a winger in the NHL. Regardless of what position he sticks with, Misa will be an offensive force. Whether it's at even strength or on the power play, he can expect time with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar once he reaches the NHL.
Will Misa become the game-breaker in the NHL that he was in the OHL? Only time will tell, but he will certainly get the chance wherever he goes. If he has a strong training camp/preseason, he could be the first from his class to debut in the NHL.
Misa already plays with a chip on his shoulder. He wasn't even invited to try and be on Canada's World Junior team last season. They failed to meet expectations in the tournament without him there, too, which makes it that much more disappointing for him.
Is it realistic to expect the San Jose Sharks to pass on Misa? It didn't feel that way a few weeks ago, but now it feels like a real possibility. With Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith already there, they probably would rather have Schaefer over everybody, but the Islanders will likely select him. Maybe the feel that Frondell gives them more of what they need down the middle.
Chicago doesn't care if it gets stronger at center or on the wing. They need scoring forwards in the pipeline, as their defense is already deep in the organization. Once they start adding more snipers to the lineup, they will increase their chances of finishing off the rebuild. It will likely take some luck to get Misa, but he would be a great fit.
After a thrilling 2025 NBA Finals came to an anticlimactic end upon Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles in Game 7, Warriors forward Draymond Green noticed a parallel to one of Golden State’s own playoff runs.
During an episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year drew a comparison between Haliburton’s injury and Kevin Durant’s torn Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
“I do send my love and well wishes to Tyrese though just on a speedy recovery, leaving it all out there on the floor, you know,” Green told co-host Baron Davis. “These Achilles/calf injuries are tough, I put it on my Threads account as soon as it happened, “Man, that looks too familiar.” NBA Finals, elimination game, guy get to cooking, cooking. KD got to cooking, and so I just wish him well and a speedy recovery.”
As Warriors fans remember, Durant took the court in Toronto with Golden State facing a 3-1 deficit despite nursing a calf strain that had held the former NBA MVP out since Game 5 of the 2019 Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets.
Durant famously started out Game 5 against the Raptors on fire, dropping 11 first quarter points, including a perfect 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, before hitting the floor early in the second quarter with a torn Achilles, a bitter end to an otherwise glorious chapter in a Warriors uniform.
One year ago, Kevin Durant made his heroic return in Game 5 of the NBA Finals before tearing his Achilles.
Haliburton, like Durant, started Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals on fire, draining three shots from beyond the 3-point line before succumbing to the same ill-fated injury as Durant.
With a recovery timeline that typically lasts well over a year, it calls to reason what the Pacers’ ceiling will be during the 2025-26 NBA season as Indiana’s star rehabs. If you ask Green, it’s a tough ask to expect a team even as talented as the Pacers to make another deep playoff run next season without Haliburton.
“It’s tough, man. We obviously had Klay [Thompson] go down, KD went down, but he left,” Green explained. “Same year Steph went down, it’s tough — You’re not winning without your best player in this league.You can put together a decent season, but it ain’t happening.”
Insider reports say veteran winger Patrick Kane is interested in return to Detroit.
The Red Wings are looking to re-up their near-60 point player in Patrick Kane with more and more reports indicating that a deal should be almost done between both sides.
We had looked at several reports from insiders recently on how It's believed that Kane will be staying in Detroit with NHL Insider Chris Johnston adding to the conversation, saying he believes Kane and his camp has expressed interest to come back.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion has proven to still have some juice left in the tank after recording 59 points through 72 games at 36 years old last season. Reports have indicated that Kane has been able to work as a mentor for the younger players like Marco Kasper to help them grow their game.
Kane still has a lot to offer as his 0.82 point-per-game average last season had him in line with the likes of Connor Bedard, Nazem Kadri and Dylan Holloway.
The cap hit will likely be around $4 million a year, since that’s what he signed for with the Red Wings before. The deal might also include a trade clause, since he asked for one in his last contract.
As for term, Kane spoke to the fact that he would like to finish his NHL career with over 1,500 games played and for a three-year long deal he would have the opportunity to do that in the Motor City.
The cap is going up and Detroit has $21.3 million in cap space heading into free agency so they would have more than enough room to bring back Kane on a agreed-upon deal as well as continuing to fish for a big ticket free agent.
The Red Wings have been linked to Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad so far but most insider reports indicate that the team is interested in acquiring goaltending depth.
Other pending free agents with the Red Wings are Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry and key depth forward Tyler Motte among others.
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DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have promoted the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort amid one of the worst starts in baseball history.
Walker Monfort was named executive vice president of the Rockies on Thursday and will immediately begin leading the team alongside outgoing President and COO Greg Feasel, who is stepping down at the end of this year after 30 seasons in their front office, the team announced.
The Rockies went into Thursday’s home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with an 18-62 record. Colorado’s 81st game marked the midpoint of its regular season.
Walker Monfort, 38, who had been the team’s vice president of corporate partnerships since 2015, will officially assume Feasel’s responsibilities by January.
Feasel joined the Rockies in 1995 as vice president of sales and marketing. He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2010 and club president in April 2021.
“Greg has been a pillar of this organization since its earliest days,” Rockies owner Dick Monfort said. “His leadership and vision helped shape not only the Colorado Rockies organization, but the entire baseball community throughout the Rocky Mountain region. He has been instrumental in our many successes over the years and has been a strong and steady presence throughout the past three decades.”
Feasel said it is bittersweet to be stepping aside, but that it was something he had discussed with the owner for several years.
Walker Monfort began his career with the Rockies at an entry level, gaining hands-on experience across multiple departments, including the grounds crew, gameday promotions, ticketing and visiting clubhouse from 2006-2009. He officially joined the front office in a full-time capacity in late 2009, working in minor league operations and player development through 2013.
“While we thank Greg for his impact and service, we are excited to turn the page into our next chapter with Walker,” Dick Monfort said. ”He brings a deep understanding of this organization, earned through his 20 years of experience working both within and alongside every department of our operation. He offers a fresh, forward-looking mindset, and we’re confident his perspective, experience and leadership will benefit the club in the months and years to come.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is going to again play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and next year certainly will have a bigger role than last time.
Witt announced Thursday that he is committed to playing for the United States and manager Mark DeRosa in the 2026 WBC. It will be Witt’s second time on the team.
When part of Team USA in 2023, Witt was 22 and the youngest player on the roster who was coming off a standout rookie MLB season. He was a bench player who went 1 for 2 at the plate, and also was a pinch-runner in the ninth inning of the championship game won by Shohei Ohtani and Japan.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who will be the U.S. captain, and Pirates ace Paul Skenes have also committed to play for Team USA next spring.
“It’s truly an honor,” Witt, who turned 25 two weeks ago, told MLB Network. “It’s something I’ve kinda dreamed about my whole entire life. Just being part of that team a couple years ago was amazing, and now we’re going to bring home the gold.”
Witt was the runner-up to Judge in the American League MVP voting last season, when the shortstop led the majors with a .332 batting average. Witt hit .285 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in the Royals’ first 80 games this year.
DeRosa said on MLB Network that he approached Witt during spring training about playing in the 2026 WBC, to which the player responded, “100%. I’m starting, right?”
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided two positive updates prior to Thursday’s game…
Sean Manaea
Manaea played catch for the first time since being shut down after an MRI revealed a loose body in his left elbow earlier this week.
The left-hander is expected to throw a bullpen session by this weekend, and if all goes well, the hope is that he’ll be able to make his final rehab appearance early next week.
Manaea was terrific during his latest minor league outing -- tossing 5.1 scoreless innings with Triple-A Syracuse last Friday, but he felt some soreness in his elbow afterwards and didn’t recover how he hoped.
Getting him back in the mix would be a huge boost for the struggling Mets rotation.
Jesse Winker
Winker went through his normal routine, taking batting practice on Thursday at Citi Field.
The left-handed hitting slugger was swinging with conviction and wasn’t favoring anything, so the skipper said he remains on schedule to begin a rehab assignment this weekend.
He’s expected to serve as the DH with High-A Brooklyn on Sunday.
Winker will likely require a lengthy build-up after having been sidelined since the first week of May with a Grade 2 right oblique strain.
When he does return, he should see plenty of time at DH against right-handed pitching.
The San Jose Sharks have been expected to make some roster changes this summer, and one of them came in the form of a buyout on Thursday (Jun. 26) when they placed Marc-Édouard Vlasic on waivers for the purpose of a buyout.
Vlasic, who is 38 years old, played 1323 games with the Sharks, scoring 84 goals and adding 295 assists for 379 points. He had spent his entire career as a Shark and now enters free agency looking for a new team for the first time in his career.
The Sharks will save some money this season as Vlasic's cap hit drops to $4.67 million, and they'll pay him $1.17 million in the 2026-27 season before he comes off the books. The Sharks now have just over $44 million in cap space heading into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and free agency.
Maxime Raynaud hasn’t stepped on the court yet for the Kings, but the No. 42 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft comes to Sacramento with an impressive résumé.
The 7-foot center, whom the Kings drafted in the second round Thursday night, was a star at Stanford, earning First-Team All-ACC honors as a senior after averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals while making 67 3-pointers during the university’s inaugural ACC season.
That statline places Raynaud in rarified air, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, as one of three power conference players to average 20-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and make 50-plus 3-pointers in a season since 2002-03. The other two? Fifteen-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductee Carmelo Anthony.
Players in power conferences to average 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and make 50+ 3 pointers in a season since 2002-03: Maxime Raynaud 2024-25 Kevin Durant 2006-07 Carmelo Anthony 2002-03
Durant and Anthony turned their one-and-done collegiate success into prolific NBA careers, though both were drafted much higher than Raynaud — Anthony at No. 3 overall in 2003 and Durant at No. 2 overall in 2007.
Still, Raynaud showed flashes of potential as a big man who can shoot across his four seasons at Stanford, posting excellent shooting splits for his size (47/35/77) on 16.1 field-goal attempts, 5.5 3-point tries and 4.2 free throws per game in his final year.
If Sacramento’s newest center can keep it up on the glass and with his shot for the Kings as he transitions to the pros, he could turn into a formidable talent for coach Doug Christie. He’ll have one of the best rebounders in the league to learn from in star Kings center Domantas Sabonis — but only time will tell if Raynaud will end up on any more lists with Durant and Anthony in the pros.
Stealing Danny Ainge’s “Trader” nickname for his constant activity of making moves, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy remained a busy man Thursday during the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
After averaging 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a freshman at Belmont, Richard became coach Todd Graham’s first recruit at Florida and the move paid off in the ultimate prize this past season. Richard put on a show in the championship game for Florida, scoring 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting and going 4 of 7 beyond the arc. He also added eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot to take down Houston.
The Warriors traded up from No. 59 to No. 56 to draft Will Richard, who had a huge game in the national championship for Florida
Along with the 75.6 true shooting percentage Richard had in the national championship, he became the first player ever to record those numbers in the title game.
Richard is a 6-foot-5 guard who will turn 23 years old in December. Over his four-year college career, he averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with 46.3/35.5/82.5 shooting splits. He’s known to play incredibly hard and won’t back down from a challenge thrown his way. As a senior, Richard had 22 games of two or more steals.
The Warriors liked him enough to move up three slots in the draft, fearing another team was about to take him. He was Mr. Reliable at Florida, and Golden State can only hope that translates to the next level.
It’s impossible to guess what one of the last picks in the draft is going to produce for a team, if at all. However, Trayce Jackson-Davis (No. 57) and Quinten Post (No. 52) both exceeded expectations as rookies. The Warriors have found great success recently through their developmental program in the G League, possibly having their best campaign yet last season.
Will Toohey and Richard join the trend? NBA Summer League is right around the corner for them to prove why they could turn into steals for Golden State.
The Boston Celtics traded the No. 32 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, and they got a huge haul for it.
The C’s acquired the No. 46 and No. 57 overall picks in the second round, plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania also reported the Celtics were going to take Saint Joseph’s wing Rasheer Fleming with the No. 32 pick, but the Phoenix Suns acquired the No. 31 pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier Thursday and took Fleming just before the C’s.
With Fleming off the board, the Celtics decided to trade the pick.
Reporting for night two of the NBA draft on the team that planned to select Saint Joseph's Rasheer Fleming before the Phoenix Suns jumped to acquire No. 31: pic.twitter.com/MPlDu6bzb4
The Celtics need depth in the frontcourt with veteran centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet able to become unrestricted free agents next week. By trading the No. 32 pick, the C’s passed on a chance to draft centers such as Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud, Auburn’s Johni Broome, among others.
With the 2025 NHL Draft rapidly approaching, the chatter around Brady Martin and the Philadelphia Flyers has seemingly increased tenfold. While he's a good prospect, the Flyers must pass on Martin with the sixth overall pick.
Martin, 18, endeared himself to NHL front offices with a dazzling performance at the 2025 U18 World Juniors with Canada, scoring three goals, eight assists, and 11 points in seven games whilst stuffing the stat sheet with 29 penalty minutes and a +15 rating.
Martin, alongside fellow top draft prospects Braden Cootes, Lev Katzin, Cole Reschny, Ben Kindel, and Jackson Smith, won gold with Canada at the tournament.
So, why would the Flyers have to pass on Martin? The answer is simple: they can find a more talented player that early in the draft... but this is not to say that they shouldn't target him again soon after.
For instance, the Flyers have been heavily linked to elite offensive talents like James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Jake O'Brien in recent weeks. It's implied that the Flyers will favor a center, given their needs, like Hagens or O'Brien.
On the other hand, there are some concerns as to whether Martin can play center at the NHL level and if he has the hockey IQ to become productive offensively at the level necessary to justify his potential draft position. This is one of the traits Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr and his group of scouts values the most.
And if the Flyers ultimately draft a winger, they would be much better off taking a Martone or a Victor Eklund, Martin's leadership and playstyle notwithstanding.
The Soo Greyhounds ace is currently ranked 10th on EliteProspects' consolidated rankings, which would make him a far more attractive prime trade-up target instead of the borderline top-5 selection that many believe he will be.
For example, let's assume that the Flyers draft Hagens sixth, making him the No. 1 center of their future.
That leaves the Flyers with the 22nd and 31st picks to find a deal to move up for Martin, which may exist with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens hold the 11th and 12th picks after the New York Rangers officially transferred their 2025 first-round pick to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Suddenly, the Flyers would have a long-term center core of Trevor Zegras, Hagens, Jett Luchanko, and Martin, with Martin and Zegras having the flexibility to play wing if needed.
Martin finds himself highly coveted around the NHL due to his playstyle, which has drawn some comparisons to Sam Bennett. With Florida winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, everyone is convinced that they must have a Sam Bennett to be a good hockey team.
There may be some truth to that, certainly, but the Flyers cannot acquire the "playoff-type" player at the expense of raw talent and upside.
But, if you can form two long-term duos with, say, Hagens and Matvei Michkov (Line 1) and Zegras and Martin (Line 2), pulling the trigger and helping out a youth-starved team like the Penguins may very well prove beneficial down the road.
There seems to be mixed reports regarding Carson Soucy’s future with the New York Rangers.
Despite trading for Soucy before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline with the hopes that he can be a staple on the team’s blueline for the future, he didn’t exactly live up to expectations in his 16 games with the Rangers.
Soucy was even scratched out of the lineup on a couple of occasions as he had trouble finding his role.
After a disappointing end to the season, there was some speculation that the Rangers could move on from Soucy.
However, due to Soucy’s low trade value as of right now, the Rangers are reportedly hesitant to trade him with the chances of the veteran defenseman staying put becoming more likely.
“Carson Soucy ... I don't think the Rangers would be opposed to trading him but I also don't think they would be willing to sell low on a guy that they just gave up a high third-round pick for,” Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today said.
“Given all the moves and things that have happened in the last 12 months and all the bad PR the Rangers gotten ... they're probably going to bring him back and bank on him playing better under Mike Sullivan.”
K’Andre Miller is another Rangers defenseman who’s been the subject of trade rumors while the Blueshirts have been speculated to have interest in Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov.
Dylan Harper hugs supporters after being selected second overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA draft. (Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
Second-generation NBA players are plentiful, and why not?
Dads can pass down their height, dedication and athleticism. Dad's handsome compensation can afford a son the opportunity to follow in his footsteps. And Dad's drive can serve as a road map.
Dylan Harper, the second pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday, is the latest budding star whose father was decorated before him. Ron Harper capped a 15-year NBA career by winning five NBA championships in his last six seasons, back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2000 and 2001 after three with the Chicago Bulls in 1996, '97 and '98.
Ron Harper of the Lakers drives for a layup at Staples Center. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
Dylan, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Rutgers, was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs. His brother, Ron Harper Jr., also is in the NBA, having played in 11 games for the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors the last three years.
In any other sport, the progeny of a former star player ascending to the highest level would be especially noteworthy. That Ron Harper's sons are on the cusp of similar careers as their dad was nothing out of the ordinary.
LeBron James and his oldest son, Bronny, famously became the first father-son duo to take the court at the same time in the Lakers' season opener last October. But that is just one of the many dynamics of a son choosing the same career path to the NBA as his dad.
Lakers forward LeBron James greets his son and teammate Bronny James, right, during warm-ups. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
The phenomenon goes back a long way. Two sons of Minneapolis Lakers legend George Mikan — a five-time All-NBA center in the early 1950s — were drafted into the NBA, with one, Larry, playing 53 games in 1970-71.
During a 15-year career that ended in 1964, Hall of Fame center Dolph Shayes averaged 18.5 points and 12.1 rebounds a game. His son, Danny Shayes, outdid Dad in career longevity, playing 18 years through 1999 for seven teams, including a short stint with the Lakers.
Butch Van Breda Kolff played four seasons in the 1940s and in 1976 his son, Jan, became the first player to face a team coached by his father when Jan played for the New York Nets while Butch coached the New Orleans Jazz. Butch also coached the Lakers to the NBA Finals in 1968 and '69, where they lost to the Boston Celtics both times.
Other sons who faced teams coached by their fathers — who also played in the NBA — include Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Sr., Coby and George Karl, and Austin and Doc Rivers.
Austin Rivers also became the first to play for his father in an NBA game when he was traded to the Clippers in 2015. At first, he wasn't thrilled when his dad called to alert him of the proposed deal.
“He called me up and he asked me if ‘this was something you might be interested in because we need you,’ ” Austin said at his introductory news conference. “When I heard that, it was one of those things where I just kind of had to think, take a day to myself and be like, ‘Could this work?’
"And it does, just because of the relationship I have with him. It’s already kind of basketball oriented … It’s not so much like father-son. It’s just kind of like coach-player and then off the court, we deal with that a different way.”
Sons who achieved more than their father abound. Dell Curry was no slouch, averaging 11.7 points and earning $19.8 million over a 16-year NBA career that ended in 2002. One son, Seth, is in his 11th season, having averaged 10 points while earning $45 million.
Toronto Raptors' Dell Curry lands on top of Trail Blazers' Damon Stoudamire as he drives to the hoop during their NBA game Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, in Portland, Ore.
JACK SMITH/ASSOCIATED PRESSGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry drives past Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston.
David J. Phillip / Associated Press
Dell's other son, Stephen, is a certain Hall of Famer, recognized as perhaps the best pure shooter in history. He's led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles while averaging 24.4 points and earning $357.8 million over 16 seasons.
Klay Thompson was a teammate of Steph Curry on all four Warriors championship teams, and he's averaged 19.1 points while earning $268.8 million over 12 seasons. That easily eclipses the exploits of his loquacious father, Mychal Thompson, who won two titles with the Lakers before becoming a broadcaster with the team as well as a radio personality.
The list of father-son duos is too long to mention them all. Here are a handful.
Three sons of Hall of Fame guard Rick Barry played in the NBA, with Brent enjoying the most success. UCLA product Mike Bibby outdid his dad by playing 14 years to Henry's nine. Kevin Love outplayed his father, but Stan Love's association with the Beach Boys stood out.
The father-son combos include a host of juniors in addition to the Harpers and Dunleavys, among them the Larry Drews, the Patrick Ewings, the Rich Dumases, the Matt Guokases, the Tim Hardaways, the Gerald Hendersons, the Jaren Jacksons, the John Lucases, the Wes Matthewses, the Larry Nances, the Gary Paytons, the James Paxsons, the Scottie Pippins, Glen Rice, Glenn Robinson, the Wally Szczerbiaks, the Gary Trents and the Duane Washingtons.
And, of course, there are more Lakers ties.
Luke Walton matched his father with two NBA championships and also coached the Lakers, but couldn't attain the cult status of Bill Walton, a UCLA legend whose quirky, outsized personality transcended his achievements on the court.
The former Laker who did indeed transcend not only his father's career but that of nearly every player was Kobe Bryant. His father, Joe (Jellybean) Bryant, died last July, four years after his son tragically died in a helicopter crash that also took the lives of his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
The fractious relationship between Kobe and his father is well-chronicled, and they rarely spoke after Kobe married his wife, Vanessa.
Dylan Harper's relationship with his father is stronger, although Ron Harper divorced Dylan's mother in 2012. She raised her two sons and a daughter as a single mom who also happened to coach high school basketball and run a travel program.
"I'm feeling EVERYTHING... from crying, to laughing, to being happy"
Maria Harper, a former Division I player at the University of New Orleans, was an assistant boys' coach when her sons played at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey.
“She was hard but loving,” Dylan told the Athletic in 2023. “She wasn’t just tough on me, either. Everyone got a little bit of it.”
Ron Sr. moved near his ex-wife in 2007. Yet he pointed recruiters to Maria when Dylan was being wooed by colleges.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of him, but I don’t want this to be about me,” he said at the time.
Yet like any father, Ron Sr. was proud of his son's accomplishments.
“When Dylan was 5 years old, I told people he was going to be really good,” he said. “He reminded me of me."
Dylan Harper might exceed his father's accomplishments in the way that Bryant and Curry did — or fail to do so. In addition to winning five titles, Ron Harper averaged 13.8 points and 3.9 assists in 1,009 NBA games.
Either way, Dylan is about to join a lengthy list of players whose fathers blazed a trail they followed.
Can The Oilers Avoid Drama With Evan Bouchard Negotiations? by The Wraparoundundefined
