Like father like son: How former pros helped their sons make it in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB
Like father, like son.
That’s certainly the trend in professional sports.
More than a few players in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB have followed in the footsteps of their dads. In fact, in three of those four sports, the number of second-generation players has increased notably this century.
Second-generation players*
| League | 1981 | 2001 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | 1.0% | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| NHL | 1.9% | 1.5% | 6.1% |
| MLB | 1.9% | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| NBA | 1.3% | 1.6% | 4.9% |
| *Minimum one game played | |||
The NHL tops the list as 6.1% of players who took part in at least one game last season have a father who played in the league, up from 1.5% in 2001. The NBA is next with 4.9% (up from 1.6%) and the NFL was at 3.4% last season (up from 1.8%). MLB had the most second-generation players in 2001 (2.9%) but dropped to 1.9% in 2021.
What was it like to grow up with a father who played sports professionally? Did they push their sons to carry on their legacy? Did the kids have any advantages in their goal to become professional players?
Heading into Father’s Day, we checked in with second-generation combos Melvin and Jump to:
NBA’s Bookers | NHL’s Domis | MLB’s Bryans | NFL’s Pittmans
Devin Booker’s journey to the That’s when Melvin stepped up his game as a father.
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Devin moved to Mississippi from Michigan to attend high school — and so his dad could train him. For the next few years, Melvin was more than a dad. He was a coach, trainer and mentor.
“We were like best friends, together every day,” Melvin said. “I missed a lot of Devin’s life because I was overseas, and those seasons are like 10 months long over there. So, whenever we were together, it was like catching up.”
Melvin was sharing NBA-level coaching with his son — something not many, if any, of Devin’s peers in Mississippi were receiving. Melvin taught his son how to lift weights, how to eat right, how to put in time after practice with one-on-one drills.
It helped that Melvin was always one of Devin’s coaches, whether it was a head coach or an assistant on his high school or AAU teams. He’d give Devin in-game adjustments, dissecting the game and information at a pro level. And Devin soaked it all in.
Devin was the definition of a “Basketball Jones.” Being an NBA player was all he wanted to be, and Melvin used his career as a blueprint for Devin, who has gone on to be an NBA All-Star. He also made sure to not push Devin too hard.
“There’s a thin line,” Melvin said. “I understand that as well.
“We never had one bump in the road along the way.”
It all hit Melvin on the bus from the hotel to the 2015 NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He sat by himself as the bus inched along in traffic, giving Melvin time to reflect on the moment.
“I’m like, ‘My son’s dream is about to come true,'” Melvin remembered.
He started to tear up.
Now, whenever Melvin watches Devin in person or on TV, he still sees the little boy who’d dribble around the house and talk about making it big.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Melvin said. “It’s hard to even explain it in words.
“He’s a professional basketball player, so it worked out for him.” — Josh Weinfuss
The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning are facing off in the Stanley Cup Final. You can watch all seven games on ABC, ESPN+ and in the ESPN App.
Game 1: One of the first times Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in T-ball, he tripped rounding first base. His dad looks back at those moments now and laughs. To Charlie, who played in the major leagues for 14 seasons and won the 1996 World Series with the
“I used to trip and fall, like, back peddling and shuffling,” Ke’Bryan said. “Looking back, it’s funny to see how far I’ve come from the time I was 5, 6, 7 all the way to now. Without [my family], I wouldn’t be here today.” Now in his third season as a major leaguer, with an eight-year, $70 million contract signed earlier this season, Ke’Bryan is more than capable of staying on his feet when he hits a home run for Pittsburgh just like his dad did when he was with the Pirates in 1996. Because Charlie retired when Ke’Bryan was 4, Ke’Bryan doesn’t remember much about his dad’s professional career. Who is the greatest baseball player ever? We ranked the 100 best to ever take the diamond.
