Behind every great athlete there are two parents that pass on an incredible set of genes. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the 2012 All NBA team and explore the athletic background of their parents.

First Team

Kobe Bryant: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played for the Clippers, 76ers and the Warriors. He extended his career by playing another seven years in Europe, where Kobe was spent a large portion of his childhood.

Chris Paul: Charles Paul was a standout high school athlete, starring in football and basketball, eventually turning to coaching. Charles frequently coached Chris’ AAU teams.

Dwight Howard: Dwight Howard Sr. is the athletic director of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. His mother Cheryl played basketball for Morris Brown College.

Second Team

Kevin Love: Stan Love played college basketball for the University of Oregon and was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets.

Tony Parker: Tony Parker Sr. (seen above) played basketball at Loyola University in Chicago as well as professionally overseas.

Russell Westbrook: Russell Sr. never played organized basketball, but he was well known at the local parks as a playground legend, renowned for his leaping ability.

Blake Griffin: His father was a basketball and track standout at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Third Team

Dirk Nowitzki: Dirk’s mother Helga played professional basketball, while his father was a handball player on the German national team.

Dwayne Wade: Dwayne Sr. remains an active athlete to this day. When Dwayne was a child his father was a regular on the rec league circuit.