Best Buddy? Nepotism Charge Nonsense as Boeheim Passes Father in Scoring
December 13th, 2020 - 9:00
Traversing treacherously like humped-over predator Harvey #Swinestein or showered #VicePlagiarist chasing his dog, Cuse chronic critics of perceived favoritism regarding playing time for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's son don't know what in the world of James Naismith they're talking about. Proper calibration be told after Jackson "Buddy" Boeheim passed his father in career scoring, the three-point specialist might be the best player ever to perform under his father at the same school where his dad also competed at the NCAA Division I level. Following is a summary of more than 20 family tandems in this unique father-son/coach-player category where both generations of hoopers competed for the same university (listed alphabetically by school):
| School (Record Together) | Father/Coach | Son/Player | Summary of Son's Playing Career at Alma Mater for Both of Them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethune-Cookman (13-15) | Jack "Cy" McClairen '53 | Dwayne McClairen, F-C | Dwayne averaged 5.4 ppg and 5.9 rpg in the school's inaugural season at NCAA Division I level in 1980-81. |
| Bethune-Cookman (55-45) | Clifford Reed Jr. '91 | Cliff Reed, G | Son was MEAC Rookie of the Year in 2008-09 as an all-league second-team selection by leading the Wildcats in scoring, assists, FT% and three-pointers. He moved up to first-team status the next season by leading B-C in four statistical categories and was conference MVP as a junior when pacing team in five categories concurrent with his father being named MEAC Coach of the Year before dismissal during summer after internal administrative review. Cliff transferred to Georgia Southern for his senior campaign after his dad was hired as assistant coach. |
| Bradley (9-18) | Joe Stowell '50 | Jerry Stowell, G | Jerry averaged 1.7 ppg in 13 contests in 1976-77. |
| Evansville (80-55) | Marty Simmons '87 | Blake Simmons, F | Blake, a medical redshirt in 2016-17, averaged 8.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 2.4 apg from 2013-14 through 2017-18. |
| Hawaii (11-19) | Bob Nash '84 | Bobby Nash, G | Bobby was runner-up in scoring (13.7 ppg) and assists (2.7 apg) and led Rainbows for most three-pointers (59) as senior in 2007-08. |
| Houston (58-6) | Guy Lewis '47 | Vern Lewis, G | Vern averaged 1.9 ppg for Final Four teams in 1966-67 and 1967-68 after transferring from Tyler (Tex.) Junior College. He distributed a career-high 14 assists against Ohio State in the national third-place game in his final contest. |
| Jackson State (45-67) | Paul Covington Sr. '56 | Paul Covington Jr., G | Paul Jr. averaged 3.3 ppg from 1981-82 through 1984-85. He averaged 5.8 ppg and team-high 5.1 apg as a senior. |
| Kansas (44-19) | Phog Allen 1906 | Robert "Bobby" Allen, C | Bobby, a three-year letterman from 1938-39 through 1940-41, was an All-Big Six Conference selection as a junior and senior. He was captain of the team his final year. The Jayhawks, Big Six co-champions in 1940 and 1941, finished runner-up in the 1940 NCAA Tournament. |
| Memphis State (38-23) | Larry Finch Sr. '73 | Larry Finch Jr., G | Junior averaged 1.4 ppg as a freshman in 1995-96 and 1.5 ppg as sophomore in 1996-97 in his dad's final two seasons as coach of the Tigers. |
| Memphis (12-2) | Penny Hardaway '93 | Jayden Hardaway, G | Jayden, a RS in 2018-19, was averaging 2.6 ppg near middle of 2019-20 season. |
| Michigan State (36-36) | Gus Ganakas '49 | Gary Ganakas, G | Gary, 5-5, averaged 4 ppg and 1.8 rpg from 1970-71 through 1972-73. In his last two seasons, he paired with 5-11 All-American Mike Robinson to comprise one of the smallest backcourts in the nation. |
| Oklahoma State (52-16) | Eddie Sutton '58 | Sean Sutton, G | Sean averaged 11 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 4.4 apg in 1990-91 and 1991-92 for two NCAA Tournament teams after transferring from Kentucky. He led the Cowboys in assists and three-point shooting both seasons. They shared the Big Eight Conference regular-season title in 1991. |
| Oregon (47-44) | Ernie Kent '77 | Jordan Kent, G | Jordan redshirted one season before averaging 1.8 ppg and 1.2 rpg as a freshman in 2003-04, 4.8 ppg and 4.4 rpg as a sophomore in 2004-05, and 3 ppg and 4.4 rpg as a junior in 2005-06. Qualified for NCAA championships in 200-meter race before quitting track and basketball as a senior to concentrate on football for the Ducks. He became a sixth-round NFL draft choice by the Seattle Seahawks. |
| Pacific (76-41) | Bob Thomason '71 | Scott Thomason, G | After redshirting in 1994-95, Scott, 5-8, averaged 4.7 ppg from 1995-96 through 1998-99. He ranked among the nation's leaders in three-point field-goal percentage as a senior (48.6%) when he was the Tigers' third-leading scorer with 8.5 ppg. They participated in the 1997 NCAA Tournament and 1998 NIT. |
| Richmond (31-26) | Malcolm Pitt Sr. 1916 | Malcolm "Buck" Pitt Jr., G | Buck was the Spiders' leader in scoring average as senior captain in 1941-42 with 10.1 ppg. |
| St. Francis, N.Y. (7-16) | Dan Lynch Sr. '38 | Dan Lynch Jr., G | Dan Jr. averaged 1.5 ppg in his father's final season in 1968-69. |
| San Francisco (58-59) | Jim Brovelli '64 | Mike Brovelli, G | Mike averaged 3.5 ppg and 2.3 apg from 1990-91 through 1994-95. He missed the 1991-92 campaign because of a fractured foot. His best season was as a senior when averaging 6.5 ppg and 3.9 apg. |
| Southern California (53-31) | Bob Boyd '53 | Bill Boyd, F | Bill averaged 2.9 ppg and 1.5 rpg for the Trojans from 1972-73 through 1975-76 (missed 1974-75 season because of a broken foot). USC participated in the NIT in 1973 and CCAT in 1974. |
| Syracuse (42-29) | Jim Boeheim '66 | Buddy Boeheim, G | Buddy passed Jim's career point total (745) midway through the 2020-21 campaign. |
| Temple (52-20) | James Usilton Sr. 1917 | James Usilton Jr., G | James Jr. was a member of the Owls' 1938 NIT champion in the first year of the event. |
| Utah State (48-38) | Rod Tueller '59 | Tann Tueller, G | Tann averaged 2.2 ppg as a senior in 1985-86 after playing sparingly the previous two seasons. |
| Valparaiso (33-51) | Tom Smith '67 | Todd Smith, G | Todd averaged 4 ppg and 3.5 apg from 1985-86 through 1987-88. He led the Crusaders in assists in 1985-86 and 1986-87 and in steals in 1985-86. |
| Villanova (49-26) | Alex Severance '29 | Dave Severance, G | Dave averaged 1.3 ppg and 2.1 rpg for 20-6 squad as a senior in 1960-61. Member of NIT teams in 1959 and 1960. |
| Wichita State (25-34) | Randy Smithson '81 | Reggie Smithson, G | Reggie averaged 2 ppg as a freshman in 1998-99 and 1.3 ppg as a sophomore in 1999-00. |