Despite coming up short at the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Carter Bryant raised his profile by pulling off some impressive jams at Intuit Dome. Of course, the San Antonio Spurs forward was not the first Bryant to showcase his athleticism at the annual slam dunk event.
The question is, is Carter Bryant related to the late Kobe Bryant? There’s no evidence to suggest that there are blood relations between these two players from different generations. Despite this, basketball is a family heritage for the 20-year-old Carter.
Carter Bryant, a native of Riverside, California, is the son of D’Cean Bryant and Sabrina Torres. D’Cean coached Carter when the young man played at Fountain Valley High School and Sage Hill School. Thanks in part to D’Cean’s tutelage, Carter went on to play at the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game prior to starting his college career at Arizona.
Meanwhile, Torres is a sign language interpreter who taught Carter how to sign. According to Carter’s Arizona alumni page, the first word that he learned to sign was “ball.”
In addition, Carter has a brother named Lincoln who is in his toddler years, as well as two younger sisters named Cydnee and Carsyn. Both sisters are athletes in their own right, making a name for themselves in volleyball as well as basketball.
While Carter Bryant isn’t related to the Hall of Famer known as the Black Mamba, he nevertheless has a rich family legacy of sports.
Carter Bryant Opens Up on “Advice” That He Received From Spurs Teammates Prior to Slam Dunk Contest
Entering the NBA this season, Carter Bryant has found a second family with the San Antonio Spurs. Speaking to the media prior to the Slam Dunk Contest, he shared some of the “words of wisdom” he received from his teammates.
Bismack Biyombo: “Don’t come back to San Antonio if you lose.”
Dylan Harper: “Don’t suck.”
Stephon Castle: “Don’t miss your first one.”
De’Aaron Fox: “Don’t waste my time.”
Though the Spurs players decided to show tough love to their rookie, it’s likely that their respect for Carter Bryant went up a notch after his participation in All-Star Saturday.
