Typically, greatness runs within the household. A number of gamers in sports activities historical past have adopted of their fathers’ footsteps to turn into stars of their very own. In truth, among the biggest gamers in main North American sports activities are sons of former skilled athletes.
Not many father-son duos get the chance to play collectively, although — like what LeBron and Bronny James did with the Los Angeles Lakers in the beginning of the 2024-25 season. In truth, they turned the primary father-son duo in NBA historical past to play in a recreation collectively. Though the elder James has completed so much in his NBA profession that is brought on many to assume he is top-of-the-line gamers in league historical past (4 NBA titles, 4 MVPs, all-time main scorer), he stated that taking part in along with his son is the highest accomplishment of his profession.
“Relating to the titles, that is one separate factor however to have the ability to be on this league, to play on this league and likewise having the ability to do it alongside Bronny proper now, that is one of many largest accomplishments and doubtless the No. 1 accomplishment I’ve ever been in a position to do,” James stated in January.
“To work along with your son — I’ve heard it from lots of people and, not solely [in] sports activities, however I’ve heard it in enterprise and [other] walks of life, they usually say it is the best factor you possibly can ever have.”
Because the James household made historical past this previous 12 months, let’s check out the ten greatest father-son duos in sports activities historical past.
10 greatest father-son sports activities duos of all time
The elder Lengthy had an uncommon path to a Corridor of Fame profession, taking part in at Villanova proper earlier than its school soccer program briefly shut down. However as he emerged as a standout there, the Raiders chosen him within the second spherical of the 1981 NFL Draft. He went on to turn into top-of-the-line defensive linemen within the NFL within the Eighties, making eight Professional Bowls and serving to the Raiders win Tremendous Bowl XVIII.
Lengthy’s eldest son, Chris, adopted in his footsteps. The second general decide in 2008, Chris Lengthy had a number of strong seasons with the Rams earlier than profitable a Tremendous Bowl title with the Patriots in 2016 and the Eagles a 12 months later. Lengthy, who completed his profession with 70 sacks, was one of many few gamers in NFL historical past to win back-to-back Tremendous Bowls with completely different groups. He and his father additionally turned the primary father-son duo to ever win a Tremendous Bowl.
Kyle Lengthy, in the meantime, performed on the opposite facet of the ball. The three-time Professional Bowl guard was a first-round decide of the Bears, and he spent most of his profession in Chicago, shedding to the Eagles (and his brother) within the memorable “Double Doink” playoff recreation. He joined the Chiefs for a season in 2021 after a one-year retirement however didn’t seem in any video games with them because of harm.
9. Cecil Fielder and Prince Fielder
A pair of Fielders are among the many prime power-hitting father-son duos in MLB historical past. Cecil Fielder was an All-Star for the Tigers within the early Nineties after stints with the Blue Jays and in Japan, main the American League in homers in back-to-back seasons. He additionally turned the primary AL participant since Babe Ruth to steer the league in RBIs for 3 straight seasons. He later gained a World Collection with the Yankees, ending his profession with 319 homers and three All-Star nods.
The youthful Fielder was each bit the hitter that his father was. He shortly emerged as one of many recreation’s prime sluggers when he was with the Brewers within the mid-to-late 2000s, hitting 50 homers in his third season. He later joined the Tigers, almost serving to them win a World Collection in 2012. A six-time All-Star, Prince Fielder’s 50-homer season made the Fielders the primary father-son duo to file a minimum of 40 homers in a season. He additionally hit the identical variety of homers as his father did in his profession.
Many years earlier than Klay Thompson was a centerpiece of the Warriors’ dynasty, his father was a key contributor to the Lakers’ dynasty within the Eighties. He helped Los Angeles win a pair of titles, averaging over 10 factors per recreation off the bench in these championship seasons. Previous to that, Thompson was taken with the No. 1 general decide within the 1978 NBA Draft by the Path Blazers, having fun with eight strong years there earlier than becoming a member of the Spurs in 1986.
Klay Thompson made up half of the “Splash Brothers” twosome that gained 4 championships between 2014-22. The five-time All-Star averaged over 20 factors per recreation in every of Golden State’s title-winning seasons, with the Warriors reaching the NBA Finals two extra occasions throughout his tenure with the crew. The Thompsons are certainly one of 5 father-son duos to have ever gained an NBA title.
The opposite half of the “Splash Brothers” was the son of an NBA standout, too. Dell Curry broke out as one of many first nice 3-point shooters within the league, making 40.2% of his pictures from deep over his 16-year profession. He additionally gained Sixth Man of the Yr in 1994 and is second on the Hornets’ all-time factors chief checklist.
In fact, Steph Curry took his father’s 3-point prowess to an entire different degree. The Warriors star revolutionized the sport along with his 3-point taking pictures, profitable two MVPs (together with the primary unanimous one in league historical past) en path to guiding Golden State to 4 championships. Curry set the NBA’s all-time file for 3-pointers made in 2021, six months earlier than he gained his first Finals MVP.
The Earnhardts are two of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers. The elder Earnhardt participated in 676 Winston Cup races, profitable 76 of them. Earnhardt’s profession got here to an finish after he was concerned in a deadly crash on the ultimate lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. He was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Corridor of Fame inaugural class in 2010.
Earnhardt Jr. gained 26 Cup Collection races, together with the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his profession and was named to the NASCAR Corridor of Fame in 2021.
5. Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds
Earlier than Barry Bonds reset the file books, his father additionally joined the file books in a singular approach. Bobby Bonds, a three-time All-Star, was simply the second participant to hit 300 profession house runs and steal 300 bases, recording 332 homers and 461 stolen bases.
Three a long time after Bonds emerged as a younger star with the Giants, his son added to his already Corridor of Fame profession in an enormous approach throughout his time within the Bay Space. He gained 5 of his seven NL MVPs throughout his 15 seasons with the Giants, together with 4 in a row in the beginning of the century. Bonds broke a few house run information as effectively, hitting 73 homers for probably the most in a single season ever in 2001 and setting the all-time file for homers with 762.
The Guerreros have left their mark on Canadian baseball historical past. The elder Guerrero was a four-time All-Star with the Expos, ending within the NL’s prime 10 in homers 4 occasions throughout his eight seasons in Montreal. He added to his historic profession in his first season with the Angels, hitting 39 homers in 2004 to win his first and solely MVP. The nine-time All-Star turned a Corridor of Famer on the second poll.
As for the youthful Guerrero, he became certainly one of MLB’s greatest energy hitters in simply a short while. He hit 48 homers in his third season in 2021, which marked his first of 4 straight All-Star nods. Guerrero Jr. is just 25 years previous, so it is attainable this father-son duo may climb the checklist.
3. Bobby Hull and Brett Hull
The Hull household produced two of the best gamers in NHL historical past. Bobby Hull was arguably the most effective participant within the historical past of the game throughout his prime, main the league in targets in seven seasons and ending second all-time in targets scored (610) on the time of his retirement. The 2-time MVP winner additionally led the league in scoring 3 times.
The youthful Hull might need been a fair higher participant than his father. Brett Hull scored 741 targets in his profession, the fifth-highest in league historical past. He additionally gained Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Stars and in 2002 with the Purple Wings. A nine-time All-Star, Brett Hull was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 2009, becoming a member of his father to turn into the Corridor’s first father-son duo.
2. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. notably made historical past once they turned the primary father-son duo to play collectively within the majors. Earlier than they appeared in 51 video games collectively within the early Nineties, Griffey Sr. performed a key function within the Reds’ World Collection triumphs within the Seventies. He was top-of-the-line contact hitters within the recreation once they gained all of it in 1975 and was an All-Star a 12 months later when the Reds claimed the World Collection once more. Griffey Sr. ended his profession as a three-time All-Star.
The youthful Griffey is called one of many biggest gamers in MLB historical past. He was a 13-time All-Star and an MVP winner, main the AL in homers 4 occasions. Junior, who largely starred for the Mariners and Reds, additionally gained 10 Gold Gloves in his profession. He ranks seventh all-time with 630 profession house runs, and he set a file on the time for the very best Corridor of Fame voting share in 2016.
1. Archie Manning and Peyton Manning, Eli Manning
Most households would like to have one quarterback ok to make the NFL. The Manning household not solely had three (more likely to be 4 quickly), however all three additionally turned prime quarterbacks within the league.
Archie Manning was a two-time Professional Bowler over his 14-year NFL profession, spending most of it with the Saints of their early seasons as a franchise. Whereas the Saints by no means had a lot crew success with Manning, he was broadly seen as top-of-the-line passers of the Seventies.
Manning’s two quarterback sons wound up having even higher careers than he did. Peyton Manning, the elder of the 2, lived as much as the hype as a generational prospect when the Colts chosen him first general within the 1998 NFL Draft. He gained 4 MVPs throughout his time in Indianapolis and introduced the Colts a Tremendous Bowl title in 2006. Manning continued his all-time profession with the Broncos in 2012, including one other MVP award and Tremendous Bowl championship within the ultimate 4 seasons of his profession. He nonetheless holds a number of NFL information, together with MVP wins, and was a first-ballot Corridor of Famer in 2021.
Eli Manning may turn into a first-ballot Corridor of Famer quickly, too. The Giants’ determination to commerce up and nab him with the primary general decide within the 2004 NFL Draft paid dividends. Whereas the youngest Manning did not have the person prowess that his older brother had, he led the Giants to quite a lot of success. He helped them pull off one of many largest upsets in Tremendous Bowl historical past within the 2007 season, giving the then-undefeated Patriots their first loss in dramatic vogue. Manning took down the Patriots within the Tremendous Bowl once more 4 years later, making him certainly one of a handful of quarterbacks to begin in two Tremendous Bowl wins.
The Manning household may add a 3rd era to strengthen their standing on this checklist quickly. Arch Manning, who’s the grandson of Archie and the nephew of Peyton and Eli, is ready to start his first season as Texas’ beginning quarterback in 2025. The highly-touted quarterback prospect has been broadly thought-about as one of many favorites to win the Heisman within the upcoming season and seen because the frontrunner to be the No. 1 general decide within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Honorable mentions:
Sandy Alomar, Roberto Alomar and Sandy Alomar Jr.Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders and Shilo SandersDoc Rivers and Austin RiversJoe Bryant and Kobe Bryant Clay Matthews Jr., Clay Matthews III and Casey MatthewsEd McCaffrey and Christian McCaffreyMarvin Harrison and Marvin Harrison Jr.Peter Schmeichel and Kasper SchmeichelTim Hardaway and Tim Hardaway Jr.Invoice Walton and Luke WaltonBruce Matthews and Jake MatthewsRichard Petty and Kyle PettyCalvin Hill and Grant HillLeBron James and Bronny James
Take a look at all of our Every day Rankers.
Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized publication every day.
Get extra from Nationwide Soccer League Comply with your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
Dale Earnhardt Jr.Support Greater and Subscribe to view content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
