LeBron, Bronny James headline notable father-son duos in sports history

Editor’s note: In advance of Bronny James’ Los Angeles Lakers debut on Tuesday night, which will make him and LeBron James the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together in league history, we’re bringing back this list of notable father-son duos in sports history — including one pair that plans to be in attendance for LeBron and Bronny’s moment.

Like father, like son. 

Many remarkable athletes have had sons follow in their footsteps in their respective sport, including new Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James and his superstar father — and now teammate — LeBron James.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the most iconic father-son duos in sports history.

LeBron James and Bronny James

LeBron James has made an incredible mark in the NBA, becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer this year. A 20-time All-Star, four-time NBA MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP, LeBron James has played 21 seasons and six with the Lakers. 

His oldest son, Bronny, was selected by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in this year’s draft, making the pair the first father-son duo to play simultaneously and on the same team in the NBA.

Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr.

Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, most notably with the Cincinnati Reds. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards, seven Silver Slugger Awards and two World Series to go along with 13 MLB All-Star Game selections. In 2004, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, finishing his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs.

Griffey Jr., played 13 seasons with the Seattle Mariners and nine with the Reds. Griffey Jr. and Griffey Sr. played two seasons together with the Mariners, becoming the first (and still only) father-son duo to play on the same MLB team and, in 1990, hit back-to-back home runs against the then-California Angels. Griffey Jr. was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career. He’s seventh all-time with 630 career home runs. A 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and 13-time All-Star, Griffey Jr. was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. 

(Update: Until the James duo, Griffey Jr. and Sr. were the only father-son pair in North American professional team sports to play on the same team, and both Griffeys reportedly plan to be in attendance Tuesday to celebrate the James’ moment.)

Archie Manning and Peyton Manning, Eli Manning

Archie Manning is at the forefront of the Manning legacy, playing quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. A two-time Pro Bowler, Archie Manning was inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame.

Archie’s eldest son, Peyton, played quarterback at Tennessee, where he was the SEC Player of the Year in 1997 and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy Award that same year. He went on to be the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Peyton Manning was named NFL MVP five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times. He’s the only starting QB to win a Super Bowl for two franchises and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). 

Eli Manning played quarterback at Ole Miss, like his father, and won SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. He went on to be the first pick in 2004 by the San Diego Chargers (he was traded to the New York Giants that same day), winning two Super Bowls with the Giants and earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. A four-time Pro Bowler, Eli Manning ranks sixth in passing yards in league history and his 210 consecutive starts from 2004 to 2017 is the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.

Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds

Bobby Bonds, a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases. 

Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the San Francisco Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs (762) and most home runs in a season (73). A 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner, Barry Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases (five). 

Dell Curry and Stephen Curry

Dell Curry, the 15th overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, played 16 seasons, averaging 11.7 points and shooting 40.2% from deep in 1,083 career games. He most notably played for the Charlotte Hornets, finishing second on the team’s all-time points leader list.

Dell’s eldest son, Stephen, was selected seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He went on to become a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP and nine-time All Star, and is widely considered the greatest shooter in NBA history, shooting over 43% from deep and 90% from the line in his career.

Mychal Thompson and Klay Thompson

Selected with the first overall pick in 1978, Mychal Thompson averaged 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds in seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers (1980-86) before playing half a season with the San Antonio Spurs (1986-87) and finishing his career with the Lakers. He won two championships with Magic Johnson and the Lakers. 

Klay Thompson was drafted 11th overall in 2011 by the Warriors and has developed into one of the game’s best shooters. A four-time NBA champion and five-time All-Star, Klay Thompson averaged 19.6 points per game on 41.3% shooting from deep in 11 seasons with Golden State. He announced his departure from the Warriors in free agency earlier this month, opting to sign a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

Bobby Hull and Brett Hull

Bobby Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goalscorer in league history (610) when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and 1971 after winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1961. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

Bobby Hull’s son, Brett, scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in league history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. A nine-time All-Star, Brett Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the Hall’s first father-son duo.

Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt is one of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers. He participated in 676 Winston Cups, winning 76 of them. Earnhardt’s career came to an end after he was involved in a fatal crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. He was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.

Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup Series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career and was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000.

Howie Long and Chris Long

An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders’ organization. He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 after helping the franchise win the Super Bowl the year prior. Howie Long finished his career with 84.0 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Chris Long was the second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, and he became one of the few players in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls for different teams — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70.0 sacks in his 11-year career.

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