When the Los Angeles Lakers chosen Bronny James, 19, within the second spherical of the N.B.A. draft on Thursday evening, the crew arrange an intriguing story line. Subsequent season, he may play in the identical lineup as his father, the 39-year-old famous person LeBron James.
Whereas there have been many nice parent-child combos in sports activities historical past — Bobby and Barry Bonds in baseball; Peter and Kasper Schmeichel in soccer; Pamela, JaVale and Imani McGee in basketball — seldom do they play on the identical time, a lot much less on the identical crew.
However a minimum of on a couple of different events, the celebrities have aligned to make it potential.
The Ageless Gordie Howe and Sons
Gordie Howe retired from hockey at age 43 after an illustrious profession. However when his sons Mark and Marty joined the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Affiliation three seasons later, he couldn’t resist.
“They knew my best want has at all times been to play professional hockey with my sons,” he said, “and after they requested me, ‘Would you have an interest?’ I mentioned, ‘Hell, sure.’”
His return proved to not be a short cameo. Astonishingly, he performed along with his sons for seven seasons, shifting on to the New England Whalers, who joined the N.H.L. for the 1979-80 season because the Hartford Whalers. Howe Sr. was skating on main league ice at 51.
He performed 80 video games with the Whalers in his remaining season, scoring 15 targets earlier than lastly hanging up his skates. “I believe I’ve one other half-year in me,” he declared on the announcement.
Mark Howe performed till 1995, and, like his father, was elected to the Corridor of Fame.
The Griffeys, Junior and Senior
In August 1990, Ken Griffey introduced his retirement at age 40. He had completed an awesome profession as a gifted slugger, most memorably for the Cincinnati Reds within the Nineteen Seventies.
However solely days later, he was picked up by the Seattle Mariners, who not coincidentally employed his son, the 21-year-old budding famous person Ken Griffey Jr.
In his first at-bat for his new crew, Griffey Sr. hit a single, which helped him win a guess along with his son over who would get the primary hit. Batting subsequent, Griffey Jr. had a single of his personal, and each gamers went on to attain. “I wished to cry,” Griffey Jr. mentioned after the sport.
In September of that season, they hit back-to-back homers in opposition to the California Angels.
The Griffeys performed two seasons collectively earlier than Griffey Sr. retired. Griffey Jr. went on to have a Corridor of Fame profession.
One other Junior-Senior Pair
Late within the 2001 season, the Montreal Expos traded the good hitter and base stealer Tim Raines, 42, to the Baltimore Orioles, who had simply known as up Raines’s son, the 22-year-old Tim Jr.
Their time collectively was transient, simply 4 video games earlier than the season ended. The subsequent season, Raines Jr. was again within the minors. Raines Sr. performed another season for the Florida Marlins.
On this case, the daddy’s profession clearly outshined the son’s. Raines Sr. made the Corridor of Fame. Raines Jr. performed in solely 75 profession video games.
A Panhandle Household
Sports activities historians needed to dig deep into historical past to unearth an expert soccer participant who performed on the identical gridiron as his dad — all the best way again to 1921, to be actual.
The Columbus Panhandles of the Ohio League had tapped closely into the Nesser household: The brothers Ted, John, Phil, Frank and Fred all played on the crew at one level or one other.
In 1920, the Panhandles turned a part of the brand new American Skilled Soccer Affiliation, and, in 1921, Ted Nesser was the player-coach. He was joined on the crew by not solely a number of brothers but additionally his son, Charles Nesser, 19.
The Columbus Panhandles? Of the American Skilled Soccer Affiliation? Are you considering, “So what?”
In that case, think about that the following 12 months, the A.P.F.A. modified its identify: to the Nationwide Soccer League.
The Columbus Panhandles, by then named the Columbus Tigers, performed their final season in 1926, however Ted and Charles Nesser stay the one N.F.L. father-son duo to play on the identical crew on the identical time.
Passing the Icelandic Torch
In 1996, Iceland was taking part in a pleasant match in opposition to Estonia within the Estonian capital, Tallinn, when the striker Arnor Gudjohnsen subbed out. Changing him was a gifted 17-year-old making his debut for his nation: Arnor’s son, Eidur.
Each males had been mainstays of the Icelandic crew for years and had good membership careers. Arnor performed in Belgium, France and elsewhere whereas Eidur was most identified for his time with the Chelsea Soccer Membership in England.
Eidur has three soccer-playing sons of his personal, and two of them, Sveinn Aron and Andri, have performed for Iceland, though not similtaneously their father.
Iceland solely has a inhabitants of 380,000.
Not Fairly LeBron
LeBron James is indisputably the most effective basketball gamers of all time, and a few would argue one of the best.
The draft number of LeBron James Jr., who goes by Bronny, was not a shock. “My final 12 months shall be performed with my son,” LeBron said in 2022.
However how good will Bronny be? Being drafted No. 55 just isn’t a assure of success, or perhaps a job; some gamers chosen in that vary don’t even make an N.B.A. crew.
Bronny performed one season at U.S.C., however began solely six instances and averaged 4.8 factors a sport. Predraft scouting reviews projected him as a complementary N.B.A. participant at greatest.
However that isn’t more likely to matter when he steps on the court docket and joins LeBron as a part of the primary father-son duo to play within the N.B.A.
And Who’s Subsequent?
Effectively, golf just isn’t a crew sport. However do you know a sure 15-year-old just qualified for the U.S. Junior Beginner? His identify is Charlie. Charlie Woods.
Yeah, that Woods.