Jameer Nelson Jr. got his first taste of NBA action Monday night, and he made it count with his dad in the building.
The Philadelphia 76ers guard, on the roster as an Exhibit 10 player, turned in a solid preseason showing in a 120-97 win over the New York Knicks. In 15 minutes, Nelson finished with seven points, two rebounds, two blocks and one steal.
Jameer Nelson Jr. made his NBA debut in front of his father, Jameer Nelson Sr., coming off the bench for the 76ers 🔥
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 6, 2026
Nelson Jr. had 7 PTS, 2 REB, 2 BLK and 1 STL in 15 minutes off the bench 💪 pic.twitter.com/YGHdb0WWmi
It was a useful stage for him, too, because Philadelphia sat several of its key names, including Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. Nelson took advantage of the opening and got to work right away.
The 25-year-old has spent the last two seasons in the G-League, and last year with the Stockton Kings he put up nearly 19 points per game in 25 appearances. He shot 48 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc while averaging just 25 minutes a night, production that made him look like a microwave scorer. Even so, he still hasn’t landed an NBA call-up.
That makes this preseason stretch especially important. The 76ers already have two two-way players signed, and both are guards - Rayan Rupert and Caleb Love - which makes Nelson’s path to a two-way deal more crowded.
The family connection adds another layer here. Nelson’s father had him when he was 19, three years before making his own NBA debut with the Orlando Magic as a 22-year-old rookie in 2004.
The elder Nelson spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Orlando and was a key part of the Magic’s rise as a contender in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Now he’s watching his son try to carve out the same kind of official NBA foothold, and this preseason gives Jameer Nelson Jr. a chance to show he can handle a higher level of competition.
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For Sixers fans, the reaction is likely less about the Kings and more about the old debate Simmons has reopened by simply looking like himself again. Sacramento is taking a careful approach as he gets ready for his 10th NBA season, but any sign of stability or production from Simmons invites the same familiar question in Philadelphia: what might have been, and how much different could the story have looked if this version had arrived earlier? [Read more 🡒]