In the game of the father: Mick and Michael Schumacher - How these 9 athletes feel about their famous dads

Sport is filled with stories of strong bloodlines, enduring family ties and legacies carried forward. But this week, as the news breaks that Mick Schumacher will follow in his father’s Formula One footsteps, we’re reminded of some of the most famous father-and-son duos in sports — and some of them are more tragic than others. So, how exactly do these athletes feel about competing with their famous father’s legacies?

Michael and Mick Schumacher: There’s hardly a more heart wrenching story than that of seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who had a tragic skiing accident in 2013 that he remains in recovery from. 21-year-old son Mick Schumacher this week announced that he’s moving from Formula Two to Formula One, after he signed to race for Haas in the 2021 season. “There is no one person I will go to and talk to and try to be as him, the one person I would want to [be like] is my dad,” he earlier told The Guardian, adding that it’s hard to go back and watch his dad’s old races. “It’s never easy … What my dad did was extraordinary.”

Peter and Kasper Schmeichel: Whatever you do, do not compare Kasper Schmeichel to his dad. The 34-year-old Danish footballer has lived much of his life in the shadows of Peter Schmeichel, MBE, considered one of the best goalkeepers of all time. His famous dad captained Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League and led them to victory, completing a Treble — three trophies in a single season. Kasper meanwhile started his career at what would’ve been his father’s rival club, Manchester City, and is currently goalkeeper for Leicester City — but he’s not pleased with some of the banter. “The guy said, ‘You’re doing well, you’ll never be as good as your dad, though,’” he told the Daily Mail of one fan encounter. “I said, ‘Mate, you don’t think I’ve heard that before? I’ve heard that for, what, the last 15 years. Well, you’ve had your laugh. So can I leave please?”

Dell and Steph Curry: Many consider Steph Curry (two-time MVP and three-time NBA champ with the Golden State Warriors) to be the greatest shooter in NBA history. But did you know about his famous dad? Incredibly, Dell Curry played the final three seasons of his NBA career for the Toronto Raptors (1999-2002) — and last year, the Raptors made it to their first-ever NBA Finals, only to beat Steph Curry’s Warriors to win their first ring. That’s why rapper Drake, a longtime supporter of the Raptors, trolled Curry by wearing one of his father’s old Raptors jerseys to the game.

Mychal and Klay Thompson: Mychal Thompson knows his kids don’t need him for advice anymore. Sure, he may have won two NBA Championships in his heyday with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his son Klay Thompson has since won three championships with the Golden State Warriors, and has been named a five-time NBA All-Star. “Guys like Steph [Curry] and Klay don’t have to hear it from their dads; they hear it from other legends who they watch. Then it becomes ‘It’s not my dad preaching to me, it’s Kobe Bryant telling me what to do,” said dad Mychal. “I think that carries as much weight as the father telling them what to do because they’re getting validation from a legend.”

Ken Griffey Sr and Jr: Perhaps one of the most remarkable stories of a father-son duo in the history of sport, Ken Griffey Sr and Jr became the first ever dad-and-kid in MLB history to play for a baseball team at the same time. It happened in 1990 with the Mariners, when Griffey Jr was only 20 years old and fresh off his first All-Star stint, and Griffey Sr was 41. “This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” said the proud father. “We’ve become more like brothers over the last four or five years. He’s asked me for a lot more advice than he’s ever asked before.” 

Bobby and Brett Hull: Sadly, not every father and son duo gets along. Brett Hull is today credited as one of the best snipers in hockey history, with the fourth-highest goalscoring record in the NFL — a whopping 741 goals. Both he and his father, Bobby Hull, were named on a list of 100 Greatest NHL Players in history in 2017. In fact, Bobby was such a threat that he was often assigned one or two opposing players just to shadow him on the ice. Sadly, Bobby and Brett weren’t close. “I didn’t see a lot of him as a kid,” Brett said. “As famous as he was, he didn’t want to go to the public rink and get mobbed by everyone.”

Joe and Kobe Bryant: Another relationship gone sour was that between late basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his famous father, Joe Bryant. While Joe played and coached for the NBA, Kobe went on to become, in many viewers eyes, the greatest player the game has seen. Which is why it was troubling when, in 2016, his parents tried to sell his memorabilia, and Kobe had to file a lawsuit against them. “Our relationship is [expletive]. I say, ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home,’ and the response is, ‘That’s not good enough.’ Then you’re selling my [expletive]?’ It has been reported that the family was able to reconcile their differences before Kobe’s tragic death this year.

Pierre Aubameyang Sr and Jr: It’s one thing to carry your father’s mantle — and another entirely to share his name. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and dad Pierre-Francois are so close that Pierre Jr’s decision to stay with Arsenal this season was in big part due to negotiations with — and the approval of — his father. And while Pierre-Emerick builds his own legacy as captain of the Premier League side, Pierre-Francois had his own time in the limelight at various French clubs. On an international level, Pierre Sr won 80 caps for the Gabon national team.

Floyd Mayweather Sr and Jr: Floyd Mayweather Jr has had an unconventional journey with his father, a former professional boxer — and his former trainer. But in 1993, Floyd Sr was taken to federal prison for violating drug trafficking laws. “When I was three or four, I remember my dad putting me on a chair so I could reach up and hit the speed bag. If my dad did sit-ups, I’d do sit-ups right next to him. It’s rough every time I go to prison and see him caged like some animal. I get a hard lump in my throat. I want to cry. Then I think, ‘No. I’m a man. I’m a man.’ I want to make him proud,” said his son. His dad returned as his trainer for some time after 2013.