Did You Know? San Beda Basketball Player Kai Efron Is Related to Zac Efron

For anyone who grew up with High School Musical and the 2000s Disney circuit, the surname “Efron” is hard to miss. It’s almost instinctive to think of Troy Bolton sinking jump shots, singing on East High’s campus, and turning Zac Efron into one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

As it turns out, the name has also found its way onto the Philippine collegiate basketball scene. San Beda University guard Kai Efron recently confirmed that he is, in fact, related to the actor—though the connection comes with a few branches on the family tree.

In an interview with All-Star Magazine, Kai shared that he and Zac are second cousins. Their grandfathers were brothers, making the High School Musical star his grandfather’s brother’s grandson.

“He’s my cousin—but really far cousin,” Kai told the outlet.

The family connection has become one of the questions Kai hears most often. In fact, he was more than happy to poke fun at his famous cousin’s basketball skills. “I don’t think he’s the very best basketball player, though. I think he should just stick to acting.”

When asked whether Zac had ever passed along any moves from his days playing Troy Bolton, Kai said, “He knows he should just keep that to himself. There’s nothing to share. It was bad. Bad basketball from him.”

As for singing, Kai didn't claim to have inherited Zac’s musical chops either. “Maybe I have a couple karaoke nights, but no, I’m not a big singer.”

Jokes aside, Kai also said Zac’s career has inspired him to chase his own goals. “He's huge. He's a star. So, I always want to strive to be the best. And out here, it's a great opportunity for me.”

Zac rose to international fame after starring as Troy Bolton in Disney’s High School Musical franchise before expanding his career with films including Hairspray, 17 Again, Neighbors, The Greatest Showman, and The Iron Claw. Over the years, he has become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors.

Kai, meanwhile, is forging his own path in basketball. The guard moved from Henderson, Nevada, to Manila after being recruited by San Beda through the NBTC tournament, where he played with Filipino-North American program Tumakbo United Basketball. Before focusing on basketball, he also spent much of his childhood playing football and was a varsity baseball player in high school.

Since joining the Red Lions, Kai has already shown flashes of his potential, including a 10-point outing against Ateneo during the 2026 preseason and a key defensive play that helped seal San Beda's win over Arellano in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.