How San Beda’s Kai Efron is Related to Zac Efron

For most people, hearing the surname “Efron” sparks the same reaction.

“Wait, are you related to Zac Efron?”

Kai Efron has heard the question enough times that answering it has become second nature.

The connection is real, although not exactly close.

“He’s my grandpa’s brother’s grandson. So, he’s my cousin—but really far cousin,” he told ALL-STAR Magazine in an exclusive interview.

Put into family-tree terms, their grandfathers were brothers, making Kai and Zac second cousins.

It is the kind of family tie that grabs attention, especially when one of those relatives happens to be one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars. But if Kai has learned anything, it is that the conversation rarely stays there. Or at least, he does not let it.

Because while the surname may open the door, Kai would rather people remember the basketball player than the family tree.

He also is not above poking fun at his famous cousin.

Like millions of kids who grew up in the 2000s, Kai watched High School Musical. Unlike almost everyone else, though, he can tease its star from a place of personal familiarity.

When asked whether Zac’s on-screen basketball inspired him, Kai could not resist laughing.

“I don’t think he’s the very best basketball player, though. I think he should just stick to acting.”

The joke did not stop there. Asked whether Zac had taught him any basketball moves from High School Musical, Kai doubled down.

“No, no. He knows he should just keep that to himself. There’s nothing to share. It was bad. Bad basketball from him.”

Kai is comfortable acknowledging the connection, but he is even more comfortable making sure it does not become the headline of his life.

That does not mean Zac’s success has not influenced him.

Growing up with a relative who reached the highest level of his profession showed Kai what dedication could accomplish, even if their careers would eventually take completely different paths.

“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.”

That opportunity eventually led Kai somewhere few people would have predicted.

The Philippines.

Before moving to Manila, Kai built his basketball foundation in Henderson, Nevada. He attended Coronado High School, where he played guard for one of the state’s leading programs. The Cougars reached the Nevada Class 5A championship game in 2024, falling to powerhouse Bishop Gorman by only three points.

His athletic background extended beyond the basketball court. Kai also played varsity baseball for Coronado as a left-handed pitcher and outfielder, another chapter in a childhood shaped by multiple sports.

His bridge to Philippine basketball came through Tumakbo United Basketball, a grassroots Filipino-North American organization with a program in Las Vegas. Playing in the NBTC tournament placed him in front of San Beda’s coaching staff and eventually led to workouts with the Red Lions.

“I played with this organization called Tumakbo United Basketball. It’s a Fil-Am organization based in California. I played out here in NBTC, then I had some workouts with San Beda, and they recruited me. So, I came out here out of high school, and I’ve just been working.”

Those workouts turned into recruitment, which then became a move halfway across the world. After graduating from Coronado in 2025, Kai traded Henderson for Mendiola and began building his collegiate career with San Beda.

Basketball, however, was not even his first love.

Kai spent much of his childhood chasing a different ball altogether.

His father introduced both him and his brother to football at a young age, making the sport a natural part of everyday life. For years, that was the path he expected to follow.

“I actually grew up playing football. As young as I can remember because my dad played football a lot, so he put it on me and my brother.”

Then something changed.

Around the third or fourth grade, Kai slowly drifted away from football.

Basketball started casually. A few games at the park. A few afternoons with friends. Nothing serious—until it became serious.

“As a kid, I was really small. I just played casually at the park with some friends. Then I started to take it seriously, and I started to grow.”

It is a familiar story for many basketball players: a game that begins as something to pass the time slowly transforms into something impossible to imagine living without.

For Kai, that journey eventually crossed continents.

Now with San Beda, he has started showing glimpses of the player he hopes to become. He scored 10 points in an 88-65 preseason victory over Ateneo in April 2026, repeatedly finding ways to finish around the basket.

Two months later, in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, his four points against Arellano did not command the headlines. The backpick he set on San Beda’s final possession, however, helped free Jomel Puno for the game-winning alley-oop. Red Lions head coach Yuri Escueta made sure to credit Kai’s role in executing the play.

They were small but meaningful signs of the identity Kai is trying to establish: not simply a young man with a famous relative, but a dependable guard willing to do the grunt work his team requires.

He is building his career in one of the world’s most basketball-obsessed countries, learning a new culture while continuing to develop his game. Along the way, he has also had to answer the inevitable questions that come with carrying a recognizable surname.

Sometimes they are about Hollywood. Sometimes they are about High School Musical. Sometimes they are even about singing.

Zac’s voice was famously blended with singer Drew Seeley’s on several songs in the first High School Musical. Asked whether any musical talent had made its way down another branch of the family tree, Kai laughed once again.

“No, no, no. Maybe I have a couple karaoke nights, but no, I’m not a big singer.”

The comparison to Zac Efron will probably follow Kai for a long time. That is simply what happens when your surname is attached to one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

But Kai is not trying to become another Zac Efron. He is trying to become the first Kai Efron.

Troy Bolton may have balanced basketball with musical theater. Kai is perfectly content leaving one of those pursuits to his famous cousin.

And if his journey—from the parks of Henderson to Philippine college basketball—is any indication, he is just as comfortable letting his own game do the talking.