Now retired, Chris Paul is all in on mentoring his AAU team, including his son, who has made significant strides on the court.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Cameron Boozer was the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft and every basketball fan knew who he was as a high school freshman, not only because of what he had done on the court yet, but because of his famous last name and who his dad was. Carlos Boozer played 13 years in the NBA and was the 35th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.
“They represent the Boozer name so proudly and so boldly and were unafraid of all the smoke that came with it,” Carlos told NBA.com about his sons. “They’ve taken on every single challenge and they’ve never run from anything and I’m super proud of who they are.”
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This summer, more than any other year, there are a handful of high school basketball players with famous last names and ties to the NBA. Not only that, but former NBA greats are now coaching in grassroots basketball, molding the development of future talent. One of the familiar faces on the sidelines at the Nike EYBL is one of the best scoring guards to ever play the game, Jamal Crawford. He coaches his son’s North West Rotary U16 team and takes pride in the development of these young players.
“I was a kid at their age and I know how important it is to have an impactful coach,” Crawford said. “Just the littlest details they’re getting right now, it might not hit them yet, but when they’re in college and beyond, that’s when it matters and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s what coach was talking about!’ Those little details and the discipline will stick with them forever, whether they realize it or not and I’m just happy to be a small part of their journey in any way.”
Jamal’s son, JJ Crawford, is the No. 1 player in the 2029 high school class. He emerged onto the scene a year ago when he was playing up two divisions on Nike’s EYBL U15 circuit as an 8th grader. In his first game playing for North West Rotary, Crawford put up five threes confidently and made everything look easy. It was enough to turn heads and he carried that momentum into his freshman high school season, where he played alongside the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, Tyran Stokes. Stokes was a 6-foot-7, 240-pound senior playing with the sharpshooter freshman guard.
“It’s really fun playing with Tyran,” JJ said. “Sometimes mid-game he’ll just look at me and be like, ‘Steph and Bron’ and that just means we have to lock in and take over the game and the two of us just go to work.”
The duo were one of the most dynamic pairs in high school basketball and won a Washington state championship with Rainer Beach. Just turning 16 years old in June, JJ was the youngest member of the U17 USA Team that won a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup in Istanbul last month. He played alongside the No. 1 player in the 2027 high school class, Beckham Black, and the No. 1 player in the 2028 high school class AJ Williams.
“I asked JJ what he really learned from this experience and he answered, ‘Now I really know what playing hard is every single possession,’” Crawford said. “And it was a great team for him to be a part of just to be around older guys and help with his development and how quickly they process the game. He really took a lot from it.”
Also on Team USA was Eric Dampier Jr. His father, Eric Dampier, was the 10th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and played 14 years in the NBA. Dampier Jr. is one of the top players in the 2028 high school class and took a lot from his father when he found his love for basketball.
“Just growing up and watching my dad inspired me to play and just having him as a tool to show me what it takes to be a pro, it’s really great to have him in my corner,” Dampier said. “He’ll show me different things from my games and it’s not like it’s happened overnight, but he’s really helped shape the player I am today.”
There were multiple legacy kids on the court in the Nike EYBL circuit and adidas 3SSB. RJ Evans, a 6-foot-7 wing and rising sophomore, was one of the best players at the 3SSB Championships over the weekend, playing up 2 divisions for the U17 Austin Rivers Southeast Elite squad and averaging 14 points, four rebounds and 1.5 steals over the season. His dad, Reggie, played four years for the Seattle Supersonics in the early 2000s before bouncing around a few teams and ending his career with the Sacramento Kings in 2015.
“If we’re really being honest, I just beat him in ones (1-on-1),” RJ Evans said. “He can’t beat me. I’m taller than him now so it’s cool. I know he played in the league and all but it’s my time now and he can’t beat me.”
Both RJ and JJ are at the top of their class and recognize the advantages they have and don’t take it for granted. The work ethic, discipline and dedication are things they’re taught that people don’t see on the court when they’re playing.
“My dad has built my entire foundation for who I am as a player,” JJ said. “He’s taught me everything. He’s my coach, my dad and has really shown me what it’s like to not only be a good basketball player but a smart basketball player. And to just always be around the game and learning.”
Chris Paul, a 21-year NBA veteran, was on the bench coaching his 16U and 17U programs throughout the spring and summer. AJ Williams, the No. 1 player in the 2028 class, is on his 17U team and is already learning as much as he can from one of the best players ever to play the game.
“It’s just great having him as a resource and learning from him,” Williams said. “When he’s talking before games or he pulls me aside, I’m locked in and I’ve already learned a lot from him. I know a lot of players don’t have a coach like Chris Paul, so I’m just trying to learn as much as I can from him.”
Paul’s son, Chris Paul Jr., has had a tremendous spring and summer and really started to become his own player. The 6-foot-1 point guard had 14 points in his final AAU game of the summer in a loss to Team Final, but the strides he made as a rising junior have made him a player to watch leading into his high school season at Campbell Hall (California).
“I’m retired now, so he and every kid I coach gets all of me,” Paul said. “Just to be a small part of their journey and development is special and as a coach, I see the work and the improvement they make.”
Other players on the circuit that have ties to the NBA include Malik Olajuwon, whose dad, Hakeem, is on the sidelines for every game. Malik is a 6-foot-4 rising senior who averaged 13.5 points on the EYBL for JL3 Elite and plays a different game than his dad, but the footwork looks the same in the way he maneuvers in the mid-range.
Tai Bell, a 6-foot-3 point guard, made his mark playing for Kenny Smith’s program, Jet Academy, and was their best player. He averaged 18 points, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game over the EYBL season and takes pride in his defense because of his last name. His father, Raja, played 12 years in the NBA and was notably known for his defense. Bell is taking pride in that and carrying it over to his two-way development as an incoming senior.
“My dad was known as the ‘Kobe stopper’ when he played and the name on my jersey means a lot to me,” Bell said. “He was a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team, and of course I want to show that I can score points, but defense is where I take the most pride.”
There are always going to be legacy kids coming up the ranks in high school and grassroots basketball, but this group feels different with the direct impact their fathers are having on their careers. Some might even exceed their father’s career, but they will know it all started with the development and advice they received from those who came before them and laid the blueprint.
