Key Takeaways
- These commercials offer a visual timeline of how basketball legacy is passed from one generation to the next.
- NIL deals and retro callbacks show how branding evolves alongside the game.
- Each campaign reflects a unique father-son dynamic, from the Currys to the Anthonys to the James family.
It's an understatement to say that there aren’t many chances to see NBA fathers and sons share the floor, so the commercials might be the closest thing fans get to a family run in prime time. From NIL-era spots to ’90s fast-food ads, these campaigns double as mini time capsules: One generation rooted in experience, the other emerging in real time.
When the Jordan Brand rolled out its Basketball Class of 2025, the group of NIL athletes included Kiyan Anthony and Duke freshmen Cameron and Cayden Boozer (sons of Carlos Boozer, notably), alongside UConn star Sarah Strong. Nike and Beats have also kept pace with ads built around LeBron and Bronny James’ unique place in league history, as the first father-son duo to share an NBA roster.
Across all of these, the theme is the same: Legacy in motion. These spots aren’t just about selling sneakers, burgers, or headphones; they’re quiet checkpoints in multi-generational careers, showing how kids raised around the game are now stepping into their own lights.
1. Carmelo and Kiyan Anthony for Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand’s commercial welcoming Kiyan Anthony turned a family moment into a mission statement. Over highlights and training shots, Carmelo tells his son, “You don’t inherit that spotlight — you claim it… My legacy is in you. Welcome to the family.” The spot arrived alongside the aforementioned Jordan Brand Basketball Class of 2025 NIL athletes.
Nike noted that Kiyan entered Syracuse as a freshman after averaging more than 15 points per game at Long Island Lutheran and earning MVP honors at the 2025 Jordan Brand Classic. He was literally raised around the Jumpman — multiple outlets have reported that Michael Jordan gifted him his first pair of Jordans as a kid. The ad leans into that history, framing Kiyan not as a mere handoff, but as someone expected to build his own lane.
2. Dell, Steph and Seth Curry for ESPN
In one of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” bits, the Currys prepare for quality time in their living room. Steph strolls in and drops into Dell’s beloved chair, while Seth claims a spot on the couch. Dell walks in, pauses, and silently waits until Steph gives the seat back — a perfect dad move that lands even if you’ve never seen him hit a jumper. It ultimately played up the idea that even an NBA MVP doesn’t outrank his father’s space.
The humor is grounded in real life: Dell was a long-range specialist before Steph and Seth turned shooting into a family business. The commercial compresses decades of Curry history into one quick, familiar power shift.
3. Dell and a young Steph Curry for Burger King
Long before unanimous MVPs and four rings, Steph Curry was a kid in a Burger King ad with his dad. The early-’90s commercial, resurfaced by various outlets, showed a young Steph talking about wanting to be a great basketball player and go to Burger King with Dell, who was then playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
The spot hits differently in hindsight. The same kid promising big dreams on camera would eventually become the league’s defining shooter. The ad also fit a larger pattern of Dell bringing his son into his world early — a reminder that Steph’s comfort in front of cameras and under NBA lights started way before Oracle Arena.
4. LeBron and Bronny James for Nike
Ahead of the Lakers’ 2024-25 home opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves — the same night they were set to become the first father–son duo to play in an NBA game together — Nike dropped a commercial that doubled as a rookie prank. In the spot, LeBron filled Bronny’s car with cereal, then called out, “Hey, rook, you better not be late,” as Bronny opened the door and watched the mess spill onto the driveway.
The ad could be considered both a celebration of their shared milestone and a nod to traditional rookie hazing, with the twist that the vet pulling the prank is also Bronny’s father. It underlined how unusual their situation is: LeBron was at the time in his 22nd NBA season, still a central figure, while also breaking in his own son as a teammate.
5. LeBron and Bronny James for Beats by Dre
When Bronny James signed his NIL deal with Beats by Dre in 2022, the brand leaned into full-circle storytelling. LeBron was Beats’ first athlete ambassador back in 2008; about 14 years later, Bronny appeared alongside him in a 90-second commercial that shows father and son locked into a game of one-on-one, trading buckets with Beats headphones as the connective tissue.
At that time, Bronny, then a senior at Sierra Canyon, was a four-star recruit with offers or strong interest from programs like USC, Ohio State, Oregon, and Memphis. The ad quietly nodded to that moment: A prospect still deciding his path, going toe-to-toe with a superstar who helped make the brand what it is. It’s less about LeBron passing a torch and more about showing that the James family’s relationship with Beats — and with basketball — now runs through two generations.