Sons of NBA Legends Join Capital City Go-Go, Forge Individual Careers

WASHINGTON — Sons of notable 1990s NBA stars Anfernee «Penny» Hardaway and Dennis Rodman, Jayden Hardaway and DJ Rodman, have embarked on their professional basketball careers with the Capital City Go-Go, the G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards. Jayden and DJ, who have both inherited distinctive traits from their legendary fathers, are determined to establish their own identities in the sport.

Jayden Hardaway, bearing a striking resemblance to his father Penny, stands at 6-feet-5 and sports the same unique goatee style. Meanwhile, DJ Rodman, though less immediately identifiable as the son of Dennis due to his lighter complexion favoring his mother, carries a subtle hint of his lineage with painted black fingernails. The emergence of NBA players with famous last names is not new, but the simultaneous arrival of children from such iconic players as Penny Hardaway and Dennis Rodman is rare.

«We appreciate the love, and we know the ‘expectations’ we’ll get,» Jayden Hardaway expressed during the Capital City Go-Go’s media day event. «But there’s no point in comparing us to our fathers. They were a rare breed. We’ll be our best selves.»

Jayden Hardaway’s path to the G League began after a college career at the University of Memphis under the watchful eye of his father, who is also the team’s coach. In contrast to Penny Hardaway’s illustrious NBA career, Jayden played a more reserved role in college, contributing an average of 3.3 points in 132 games. Despite modest statistics, Jayden’s character and team-centric approach made him a valuable asset, prompting Go-Go coach Cody Toppert to select him in the draft.

DJ Rodman’s route included time at Washington State, followed by a transfer to the University of Southern California, where he played alongside high-profile players like Bronny James. Although the USC Trojans team did not meet expectations in the 2023-24 season, DJ Rodman focused on maintaining a positive attitude and embracing his role as a supportive team player.

«I’m going to try my hardest to be different and carve my own path,» DJ Rodman stated. «We’re not going to be naive to the fact that our dads are who they are, but we’re always going to have that cloud over our head.»

Both Jayden and DJ are new to the Capital City Go-Go setup, with Jayden participating in limited action and DJ contributing modest statistics in his G League games. Regardless of current playing time, their goals remain clear: to improve and ultimately join an NBA roster based on their own merits, not just their famous surnames.

While Jayden Hardaway values the mentoring from his father along with his collegiate experience, DJ Rodman’s ties to his father are less pronounced. Despite not maintaining frequent communication with Dennis Rodman, DJ embraces his heritage while determinedly forging his own way forward. «Just because I’m around him doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and party every single night,» DJ remarked, highlighting his commitment to shaping his own identity and career.