Phil Sheridan | Maternal gift: New 76er's athletic genes come from his mother.

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2006 | by Phil Sheridan

There's a reason you see so many sons of great athletes turning up in professional and major college sports. In the great crapshoot of scouting and drafting players, good genes at least give you something to go on.

Peyton and Eli Manning. Chris Simms. Koby Clemens. Joakim Noah. Kellen Winslow. Luke Walton.

The Phillies relied on DNA in making Kyle Drabek, son of Doug, their first-round pick in this month's entry draft. And so did the 76ers when they took Rodney Carney in Wednesday night's NBA draft.

The difference: Unlike all those other guys, Carney's father wasn't a great athlete (although he played college football).

His mother was.

DeAndra Ware - nee Carney - recalled the time she was working out with her son on a track near their home in...