It’s been a heated playoff game between the Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, with Tobias Harris actually throwing some shade towards the Knicks. “It’s a different dynamic for sure,” is what Harris said with a wry smile on his face, suggesting that this Knicks team is not the same one he faced last year with the 76ers.  The series is currently poised with the Knicks leading 3-1. Harris was instrumental for the Pistons in game 4, scoring 18 points that unfortunately didn’t go his way as they lost 94-93 in a close game.

He has consistently stepped up in the playoffs, whether now with the Pistons or previously with Philadelphia, scoring more than 15 points per game in the playoffs every year since 2019. Stepping up in big moments throughout his career, Harris has been well paid for that, being one of the highest-paid players in the league. He recently eclipsed $300M in career earnings with his new deal with the Pistons. As he continues to dazzle us in the playoffs, let’s learn the secret to how Harris earns so much.

Spoiler alert, though: the answer lies in one of his parents!

Who are Tobias Harris’s parents? What is their nationality?

Tobias Harris is the son of Torrel and Lisa Harris, who are from New York, United States. Their nationality is American, while their ethnicity is African American. They have been married for 43 years and have had six children together.

Torrel always wished to have six children, as he has said, ‘God if you ever give me six kids, I promise that I would try to be the best father I could possibly be in my life.’ The couple has certainly given their sons the best life they could.

Who is Tobias Harris’s father, Torrel Harris?

Torrel Harris is one of the few reasons Tobias is so well paid.  Torrel Harris is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Unique Sports International, whose clients include his son, Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. It is this agency that is involved in the contract negotiations and of course a father is going to fight tooth and nail for every last penny for his son. He is a self-made millionaire who himself played college ball at Duquesne and Murray State. He was one of the first African American basketball players in 14 years to graduate from Murray State University with a degree in business administration. His journey is definitely inspiring and had an impact on Tobias Harris.

Who is Tobias Harris’s mother, Lisa Harris ?

Lisa Harris, the mother of Tobias Harris, is a Bedford-Stuyvesant native who was born Lisa Mulzac on November 23, 1959. Lisa was also an athlete in her  childhood. She moved on to taking care of her six children while her husband built a business empire. Harris widely credits his grandfather on his mother’s side with helping him become who he is.

But his grandfather was not like any normal Joe; Lt. Col. John I. Mulzac was a member of the elite Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military aviators in the armed forces who served bravely in WWII, despite the segregation they faced back home in the U.S.  Coming from such lineage, Tobias is a lucky one, as he got to firsthand see and understand what real pressure is.

So, in a league filled with stars, Harris stands out not just for his skill, but for the story that fuels it. And as the Knicks edge closer to closing out the series, don’t be surprised if Tobias has one more chapter left to write.