Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Keynon Martin Jr., son of former No.1 overall pick Keynon Martin, shines with 19 points in win over the Pistons

KJ Martin is the son of former NBA star Kenyon Martin, who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers earned a vital 111-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons and improved 4-12 in the West. With this win, the Sixers ended their 6-game losing streak on the road. During this game, Keynon Martin Jr had the best show in the second half, which helped the Sixers maintain their lead. The 23-year-old forward scored 19 points in his 27-minute stay.

come for the @kj__martin put-back.

stay for the KJ/Kelly hug. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/rpDFFz808m
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 1, 2024

At the beginning of the game, the Philadelphia 76ers faced a big blow as Andre Drummond faced an injury on his right foot. Injury-hit Sixers changed their plan, and Martin Jr got an expanded role from Nick Nurse. The Sixers head coach also roped in rookie Adem Bona to handle rim duty for the remainder of the game. However, Martin’s energy helped Philadelphia to crack the winning code.

Keynon Martin Jr led the Philadelphia 76ers with 19 points, going 7-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the foul line. During his impressive stay over 26 minutes, the 23-year-old made a pair of long corner jumpers. He also had an excellent athletic putback dunk.

Drummond’s injury put pressure on the center, but Martin controlled it with a trio of blocks at the rim. KJ didn’t allow the Pistons to carry the possession. KJ Martin also contributed six rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one turnover.

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Influence of his father helped KJ Martin to grow in NBA

KJ Martin is the son of former NBA star Kenyon Martin, who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. The young talent was raised in a household deeply rooted in the NBA. In 2020, Martin Jr was picked 52nd overall in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Before joining the Philadelphia Sixers last season, he played for the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers.

After his son Kenyon "KJ" Martin Jr. was drafted tonight, flashback to Kenyon Martin Sr. being selected 1st overall by the New Jersey Nets in 2000! #NBAVault pic.twitter.com/gduwUiaYhs
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) November 19, 2020

The father of KJ Martin is one of the finest NBA players who played 15 seasons in the league. He represented teams like the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks. Kenyon Martin was drafted with the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, and in 2004, he was an NBA All-Star.

KJ Martin mentioned his father’s name in his initial years and shared how his father is his biggest motivation. The 23-year-old said, “The greatest motivating factor that’s gotten me to where I am today is… “My parents. My dad knows I have the potential to go pro so he teaches me the little things because those are the things that he says make all the difference. He says when you get that part everything is easy; it’s like a puzzle and you just put the pieces together.”

Kenyon Martin

Kenyon Martin Jr

KJ Martin

NBA 2024-25

Philadelphia Sixers

Gulshan Sharma

nba

soccer

wnba

A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.