NBA today: 5 best brother combos playing in the 2019-20 season

Now that the competition has gone global, the chances of a player getting drafted by an NBA team are getting slimmer with every passing year. The league can only accommodate so much talent on a yearly basis.

However, there are some exceptional bloodlines scattered across the NBA landscape that have managed to make the league a family affair.

The trails were always there, but to follow them with such meticulous precision requires immaculate talent and above all, a gifted set of genes. We often come across a bunch of prominent names belonging to royal basketball lineage, and yearning to make an on-court reputation of their own.

The league houses tons of notable siblings that have been carrying the family heirloom or blazing a trail on their own. And the ongoing season is no different when it comes to brotherly connections.

On that note, let's take a look at the five most remarkable brother combos to watch out for during the 2019-20 campaign.

#1 Stephen and Seth Curry

Last season, The Curry brothers clashed in the playoffs for the first time.

Born to former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Stephen and Seth represent the quintessential brotherly duo across the league for other families to look up to. And while they are both reliable long-range gunners, the difference in their individual accomplishments is something that just can't be overlooked.

Steph is a 2-time MVP and a 3-time NBA champ, while Seth had his postseason debut just last year. But despite the fact that the skill deficit is of mammoth magnitude, Seth - the younger of the two - never ceases to get inspired by the Warriors leading man.

Their journeys have been as contrasting as anyone could imagine. While Steph is carving out a Hall of Fame career with Golden State Warriors, Seth had to toil his way up in the league until he had that breakout season with the Dallas Mavericks in 2017-18.

#2 Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo

Following in the footsteps of their elder brother

From selling paraphernalia on the streets of Athens, to being named the Most Valuable Player of the 2018-19 NBA season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has come a long way. In the process, he has single-handedly dragged his family out of a hole and put them on the brightest stage.

Kostas and Thanasis Antetokounmpo do not need to look any further than their elder sibling for inspiration.

While Thanasis has been provided the opportunity to play with Giannis in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform, Kostas is suiting up in purple-and-gold for the ongoing season alongside the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Despite the fact that all Antetokounmpo brothers not named Giannis are yet to make major waves on the stat-sheets, their collective grit through their past hurdles is laudable to say the least.

#3 Brook and Robin Lopez

Brook is a better scorer than his brother

After spending over 11 successful seasons in the league, the Lopez brothers have managed to establish quite a reputation for themselves. From their days playing at the Stanford University, to going pro together, and finally to being a couple of NBA veterans, the brotherly bond between Brook and Robin has stood the test of time.

Drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft, both these players posses fairly contrasting skills as basketball players. While Brook has become a lot more proficient after adding the three-point shot to his arsenal, Robin is more of an astute facilitator with a pivotal impact on defense.

That said, both these players have a way of affecting the game even when their shots are not falling, rendering the stat-sheets imprecise at times.

Brook has been servicing the Milwaukee Bucks with his versatile repertoire for over a year now, while his brother is just beginning to get the feel of Bucks basketball.

#4 Markieff and Marcus Morris

Marcus and Markieff Morris were the 13th and 14th picks respectively in the 2011 NBA draft. While both players managed to stay afloat amidst the cut-throat individual competition in the league, Marcus has recently broken out of his shell to become a credible presence. Moreover, he possesses a considerable edge over his sibling when it comes to three-point shooting.

Marcus is averaging almost 18 points per game this season far for the New York Knicks, and has not averaged less than 13 ppg across the past four seasons. While Markieff plays at the Power Forward position for the Detroit Pistons, his brother has being occupying the same spot at the Big Apple.

Despite Marcus' recent surge, both players have almost identical career averages of around 11.5 points per game, in line with their identical appearance and tattoos.

#5 Justin, Aaron and Jrue Holiday

Three different paths leading to the same destination

While Jrue Holiday was drafted 17th overall back in 2009, his elder brother Justin had to wait till 2013 to get his shot at an NBA game - a path that went through overseas as well as developmental league basketball. We can only imagine the nerves when their youngest brother was about to be picked in the 2018 draft.

Once Aaron was selected by the Indiana Pacers as the 23rd overall pick, the Holiday family had made it. All three brothers had stepped into the professional arena, while their parents juggled between a ton of games to follow across the country.

“When we are at one game, I'm there watching the game and then I'm also on the app watching another game,” Shawn Holiday said. “If it's somewhere I can't watch it, I go by live play-by-play. I'm always there somehow.”

While Jrue is clearly the most established and talented among his brothers, their collective journey leading to the NBA is something that the Holiday family will remember for generations to come.

Edited by Musab Abid