There are a number of high school girls basketball players carrying on a family legacy of athletic excellence. These young ballers are the daughters, sisters and even granddaughters of former professional athletes who have not only the pedigree, but the drive to succeed at a high level.
Will they go on to reach the professional level and stardom of their relatives? Only time will tell. But for now, these young ladies are blazing their own trail and making a name for themselves on the hardwood.
Among them are NBA daughters MacKenly Randolph, Izela Arenas, Katie Harpring and Me'Arah O'Neal. But football, baseball and even tennis daughters are getting in on the action.
Read on for 12 young ballers keeping the family legacy alive.
Father: Gilbert Arenas spent 12 years in the NBA, playing with the Warriors, Wizards, Magic and Grizzlies. He was a three-time All-Star.
Izela: Part of the core for the top-ranked Trailblazers as they seek their second straight CIF Open Division title. The 5-foot-9 junior runs the floor well, has great court vision and a toughness that matches her fathers.
Grace Counts, Providence Academy (Plymouth, Minn.)Grandfather: Mel Counts played 12 years in the NBA in the 60s and 70s. Drafted by the Celtics, where he won two NBA titles.
Hope: The 6-1 senior captain averaged 14.8 points and 10.3 rebounds for the 15-2 Lions. She had 12 points in their biggest win of the year so far, an 87-80 victory over No. 15 Hopkins (Minnetonka). She's scored in double figures in all but two games this season and is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Hope Counts, Providence AcademyGrandfather: Mel Counts also was an All-American at Oregon State and won gold in the 1964 Olympics. He played with both Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
Hope: The 6-2 sophomore is fourth on the Lions with an 8.6 average. She also pulls down nearly eight rebounds per night. She has three double-doubles this season, including a season high 22 and 14 in the Lions' season opener.
Jessica Fields, Mount Paran Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)Brother: Justin Fields was the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears after playing at Ohio State and Georgia. He was a five-star coming out of Harrison and threw for more than 4,000 yards in high school.
Jessica: A top 2025 player for the 21-1 Eagles, the 6-1 forward has lived up to the first-team 2A preseason all-state honor. Fields has a solid all-around game and has improved over her freshman year that saw her grab all-region, all-state and freshman of the year honors as the Eagles won a state title.
Lena Girardi, Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)Father: Joe Girardi won World Series titles as a player and coach with the New York Yankees. He played from 1989-2003 for five teams and managed the Marlins, Yankees and Phillies.
Lena: The 6-foot sophomore is averaging 19.9 points and 12.3 rebounds for the 18-7 Lions. She is physical and quick with a high court IQ. She also has deadly range from deep and a smooth looking stroke. She's already scored 1,000 career points midway through her sophomore season.
Maddyn Greenway, Providence AcademyFather: Chad Greenway spent his 11-year career with the Minnesota Vikings. A linebacker, he was a two-time Pro Bowl player and finished with more than 1,000 tackles.
Maddyn: The 5-8 freshman guard can fill it up. She's leading the Lions in scoring at 30.1 points per night. She also averages 6.6 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals per game. In the win over nationally ranked Hopkins, she dropped 41 on 12 of 24 shooting, including 16 of 16 from the free throw line.
Katie Harpring, Marist (Atlanta)Father: Matt Harpring played 11 years in the Association after a college career at Georgia Tech. He was on the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1999 and scored more than 7,600 career points.
Katie: Just a freshman, the daughter of the NBA sharpshooter is averaging 24 points and 8 rebounds along with 5 steals. The War Eagles are 19-2 and with a handful of games before postseason play.
Jada Lynch, St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)Mother: Kim Clijsters won four major singles titles in tennis. Counting her two major double titles, she owns a career Grand Slam. The image of Clijsters holding Jada after winning the 2010 U.S. Open is an iconic tennis moment. Clijsters is married to Brian Lynch, who played collegiate basketball at Villanova and professionally in Europe.
Jada: Lynch is turning heads as the 5-11 freshman might be the best in New Jersey from the Class of 2025. She is quick and powerful to complement a sweet shot. The Purple Roses are 15-3 on the season with a matchup against nationally-ranked Paul VI (Haddonfield) on Sunday.
Teniya Morant, Houston (Germantown, Tenn.)Brother: Ja Morant is one of the most explosive players in the NBA today. He was the Rookies of the Year in 2020 and burst on the national scene during his sophomore season at Murray State during the NCAA Tournament.
Teniya: The senior is averaging 12.5 points with 4.6 rebounds as the Mustangs are 18-7. She's hit double digits and all but one game and just received an offer from Mississippi Valley State.
Me'Arah O'Nneal, Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas)Father: Shaquille O'Neal is one of the NBA's most dominant big men. He is a four-time champion and three-time finals MVP. Also an actor and rapper, Shaq is an analyst on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley.
Me'Arah: The Big Aristotle's youngest daughter has got game. The 6-4 junior played her freshman season in California and has helped the Knights to an 18-7 mark thus far. O'Neal has, as you would expect, a dominating inside game but also a nice touch from outside. She has offers from UCLA, Virginia and a few others.
Isabella Ragone, Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.)Father: Dave Ragone is the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator who spent four years in the NFL and NFL Europe. The quarterback was the Offensive MVP of NFL Europe in 2005.
Isabella: The 6-2 wing has been filling it up for the 10-9 Hawks in Georgia's highest classification. A lefty with a pure touch, Ragone dropped 27 at the JaxCo Holiday Hoopfest, earning MVP honors. More recently she went for 20 in a win over Forsyth Central and 28 in a 52-42 win over Dacula.
MacKenly Randolph, Sierra CanyonFather: Zach Randolph is a two-time NBA All-Star who played for 18 seasons with Portland, New York, the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. He played collegiately at Michigan State and finished his NBA career with 18,578 points and more than 10,000 rebounds.
MacKenly: It might seem easy to miss Randolph while watching Juju Watkins dominate, but the 6-1 junior plays with a passion that made her dad stand out in the NBA. She is tough and physical but can score in bunches. She went for team-highs 31 against Harvard-Westlake on Jan. 19 and 24 against Marlborough while Watkins was out nursing ankle soreness.
