If someone were to see the name “Nelson” on the back of a basketball jersey in Philadelphia, they generally would assume it meant St. Joe’s great Jameer Nelson.
Jameer Nelson Jr. knows that a little too well. The former NBA All-Star’s son bears his name and the expectations to follow his footsteps on the hardwood.
That never phased the younger Nelson. In fact, he’s embraced it.
“When it’s always something that came before, [the pressure is] going to be expected,” Nelson Jr. said. “Now that I’m playing seriously now, I’m really just embracing it now. If people want to talk trash, I think it’s fun. I think it adds to my game and adds an edge to my game.”
Nelson Jr. grew up around the game of basketball, but he didn’t take the game seriously until he was a sophomore at The Haverford School in 2017. Then, his dad and his cousin, former Rumph champion Josh Sharkey, took the 15-year-old under their wings.
The pair tormented the high schooler by beating him in one-on-one and basketball drills until Nelson Jr. began to improve. Suddenly, the tide began to shift, and it didn’t take long for those final scores to change.
“I was working out with [Sharkey] and my dad,” Nelson Jr. said. “They was killing me everyday. That’s what got me better. He used to cook me when I was a young bull.”
The former TCU point guard accomplished a lifelong goal this weekend by appearing in The Rumph. While it was his first year playing in the city’s premier basketball tournament, he grew up around it his entire life.
He instantly made a name for himself by playing for Tony Parris’s Coach Tone Runs squad. He scored 13 points in Thursday night’s main event against Rex6 and followed that up with 15 Friday evening against FOE.
However, both contests ended in losses, prematurely ending the weekend for the Philadelphia legend’s son. Nelson Jr. wanted to leave the tournament with a win, but the results didn’t faze him. He spent two days playing with Philly hoopers that he idolized growing up and even wore the same jersey as his uncle, Moe Nelson.
All in all, that’s what mattered most to the young hooper.
He was always interested in playing in the tournament, especially with his family. When Paris reached out asking if he wanted a spot, Nelson gave an easy “yes” despite not knowing who else was on the squad.
“It means everything just be a part of it, honestly,” Nelson Jr. said. “I was so honored Coach Tone asked me to come play. I see so many people playing—I’m looking up to these guys. It’s cool to play against them.”
Nelson Jr. made waves Friday night against FOE. Even emcee Ghee Funny said Nelson Jr. was doing it all by himself.
But Nelson Jr.‘s biggest takeaway was still honoring his dad and the legacy he made in the City of Brotherly Love.
“It’s super cool,” Nelson Jr. said. “All the love I get regardless of how I play, just because of the person my dad was and how people know him. I’m really glad that’s my dad and people respect him.”
