DALLAS — A Texas jury sentenced the son of former NBA player Nick Van Exel to 60 years in prison Friday in the shooting death of a longtime friend.

Nickey Maxwell Van Exel, 22, received the punishment after his father wept on the witness stand and apologized to the family of the victim, Bradley Bassey Eyo. The same jury found the younger Van Exel guilty of murder on Thursday.

Nickey Van Exel fatally shot Eyo in December 2010 and dumped his body at Lake Ray Hubbard on the eastern outskirts of Dallas. His attorney had said the two were playing with a shotgun at Nickey Van Exel’s Garland home and that Van Exel didn’t know the gun was loaded.

Nick Van Excel, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, testified about the happy times he and his son spent together, including with Eyo.

He recalled the time that he took his son and Eyo to a 2006 NBA Finals game in Miami.