On the outside looking in, living the life of a famous athlete seems pretty great. In reality, the balance between work and family is a common hardship for many professional athletes. These sporty dads have seemed to nail that balance, though, and have shown the world exactly what it takes to be a great dad and a great athlete... Spoiler alert: it's not easy!
Russell Wilson
Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, is better known by his family as Papa Russ. His job keeps him away from his family pretty often, but that doesn't mean he doesn't spend time with them when he can! He always makes time for what matters most: his family.
He married singer and songwriter Ciara and became the step-father to her son, Future. They ended up having a little girl together who they named Sienna. "I get to see them after the game -- three Seahawks jerseys -- and they are all grinning ear to ear. It's the best blessing in the world. I'm just so grateful for that," he said in a post-game interview.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is truly a triple threat: he's a basketball champ, doting husband, and loving father 24/7. His wife, Ayesha, is also popular on social media and gives fans a glimpse into their life from time to time. They have three children: Riley, Ryan, and Cano.
"They give you a reason to wake up in the morning, regardless of whether work is going well or not. Your biggest responsibility, obviously, is being a parent, and it's just so much fun every single day when they change so fast and you're trying to keep up," Curry told a reporter.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps was set for life after his successful run in the Olympics. Now, the retired Olympian can spend his days swimming around with his three kids! They have an affinity for water, of course, but Phelps has made it clear that he won't force them to do anything they don't want to. That's a true parent!
Phelps married his wife, Nicole, and they had Boomer, Beckett, and Maverick. "I'm usually the first one up in the morning and get them going," Phelps says, "get breakfast, get one out the door for school three days a week, then whatever we have to do, if one wants to go to the aquarium or the zoo or something. We're constantly taking them on little field trips or just trying to show them different things."
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is a true basketball legend. He's done so much for the sport and for causes close to his heart! He has three superstar kids: Andre, Elisa, and EJ. Never the one to be quiet, Magic opened up about his bad reaction to his son, EJ, coming out as gay. It was a real and raw parenting moment that he wanted to share with fans.
Johnson went on the Ellen Degeneres show to talk about the situation. "I think it's all about you not trying to decide what your daughter or son should be, or what you want them to become. It's all about loving them no matter who they are."
Lebron James
There's a reason that they call Lebron James "King"! He's the king of the basketball court and king of the household. He has three kids with his wife, Savannah: Lebron Jr., Bryce Maximus, and Zhuri. They're a pretty tight-knit family, and James plans to keep it that way!
Lebron Jr., who recently turned 16, is aspiring to be just like his dad. Admittedly, he's a bit worried about living up to his father's name! Literally, they have the same name. That is definitely some added pressure, but Lebron Sr. wants all of his kids to practice their own passions.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady but not be the most well-liked character for some football fans, but his dedication to being a father is admirable! He's had his fair share of scandals (deflate-gate, anyone?) but he's also a cutthroat dad. For example, Brady even got sports analyst Alex Reimer fired after he called Brady's daughter, Vivian, an "annoying little pissant."
Brady didn't want to call out the analyst and get him fired for bullying a little girl. Really, though, who does that? Brady is also open about his familial struggles with being in the spotlight so often. He's adamant about letting his kids find their own paths and that no one has to be a football player if they don't want to be!
Novak Djokovic
Serbian Novak Djokovic claimed his place as top dog in the tennis world with two Grand Slam victories. After he won Wimbledon, he said that all he could think about was the fact that he could hear his son screaming for him out of excitement. "For the first time in my life, I have someone screaming, 'Daddy, daddy' as I've done it."
During the offseason, he's a doting father to his two children: Stefan and Tara. He and his wife, Jelena, also make sure to donate their time to children in need who are not as well off and lucky as his own. "What a blessing to have an opportunity to be a parent!" he wrote in the Instagram birth announcement post of his daughter.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is currently the point guard for the Houson Rockets in the NBA. He even won MVP during the 2016-17 season. If being a dad was a sport, he'd probably win MVP in that as well!
Westbrook has three kids with his wife, Nina. They were high school sweethearts and got married in 2015 when Westbrook was 25. Their first son, Noah, was born in 2017 and their twins, Skye and Jordyn, were born in 2018. He's obviously got his hands full!
Dwayne Wade
Dwayne Wade is a retired basketball star and full-time dad. He's got five incredible kids (Kaavia, Zaire, Xavier, Dahveon, and Zaya) and is adamant about securing the best for them. He makes sure to show the public just how much he cares for his kids and how not to be an absentee father.
His 12-year-old daughter, Zaya, came out as transgender and was met with nothing but love from her family. Even when "fans" of Wade came at his daughter with abuse and violence, he pushed back. "As parents, we put our hopes and our fears on our kids. With Zaya, we decided to listen to her. She's leading us along this journey," he said on Good Morning America.
Devon Still
Even though Devon Still is retired from football, he's still a notable name. In fact, he retired for a very special reason: for his little daughter. In 2014, at just four years old, Leah was going through the fight of her life with stage IV neuroblastoma. Thankfully, she beat her cancer diagnosis and remains cancer-free!
"Honestly, to this day I just sit there and stare at Leah," he told a newspaper in 2018. "I meet so many kids that pass away from this. I may have lost something I wanted so bad -- being in the NFL -- but I still have my daughter, and that's so much more important. Still started the Still String Foundation which helps families cover the costs of childhood cancer. He definitely wins Dad of the Century!
Greg Anthony
Greg Anthony played basketball for the NBA for 11 seasons. He went on to become an NBA analyst for Turner Sports and went back and forth between his time in Miami and North Carolina. His son, Cole, plays basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Even being states away, Anthony tries to make it to all of his son's games.
"It's a sacrifice, but it's well worth the sacrifice to explore and experience the things that matter to your kids. It's great, too, because basketball has been important to me." Cole is quickly living up to his name!
Rico Verhoeven
The Dutch kickboxer looks like a tough guy, but he's truly a huge softie! He's a Glory Heavyweight Champion who enjoys sharing his progress on his social media for his fans to check out. Along with some incredible workout videos and progress shots, he shares some softer glimpses into his life with his children.
"The love I get from my kids brings me so much joy and makes the time stand still... The hard work I put in every day then makes be realize 'be here now!'" It's a great sentiment, especially since he is in a sport that is very demanding on his body and mind!
Torrey Smith
Torrey Smith is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a three-time dad. His entire social media feed is mostly about his kids and his role as their father. A lot of football stars share images of their time on the field, but not Smith! In fact, he prefers his platform to be more about family than football.
Sharing It All
Smith shared something very deep and personal with his fanbase after his second son, Kameron, was born. Kameron had a high chance of being born with Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) which can cause developmental delays and even infant death. Thankfully, while in utero, his test results came back clear and that they would be saved from the premature loss of their boy. "We are excited to know that our child has a shot at life and nothing else matters."
Zaza Pachulia
Zaza Pachulia is a fantastic basketball player from the country of Georgia. He's always been the one to care for kids. In 2004, he started a free basketball camp for kids in his home country. Fast forward 16 years, he has his own academy in Tbilsi for kids!
Real-Life Family Man
Even an accomplished basketball star like Pachulia will pause his busy life to take a cringy (albeit cute!) Christmas photo with his family. He and his wife, Tika, have three kids togehter: Davit, Saba, and Miriam. They have been married since 2008.
Buster Posey
Buster Posey and his wife, Kristen, take a different approach to share their family matters online: they just don't. The couple prefers to keep their children private from the world, but that doesn't mean that fans don't get small glimpses into their life! In fact, they became more open when they started the Posey Family Foundation.
Posey Family Foundation
The Posey Family Foundation began when the couple listened to a heartbreaking story from a fan. Her daughter, who was the same age as the Posey twins, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer. "It just really hit home with both of us, Buster told Sports Illustrated kids. In 2016, they enacted the foundation to raise funds for treatment and research in pediatric cancer. When Posey isn't on the road with the San Francisco Giants, he visits with sick kids!
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is by no means your average parent. He has four kids with two different women and a surrogate, all while being unmarried. Despite his unconventional life, he is by far one of the most doting fathers in soccer! When asked about being a father, he said that fatherhood has "taught me things about love that I never knew existed. It has softened me and given me a different perspective on what is really important in my life."
Unconventional Lifestyle
Ronaldo is the father to 10-year-old Cristiano Jr., whose mother is not known to the public, three-year-old twins Eva Maria and Mateo, who was born to a surrogate, and three-year-old Alana Martina, whom he shares with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez. His eldest son is already a top player in Portugal's youth soccer team and he aspires to be just like his dad.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the most notable players of FC Barcelona. There's no slowing him down! Even in the offseason, he's seen out with his kids taking hikes, going to water parks and amusement parks, and, of course, playing soccer. He has three kids with Antonella Roccuzzo: eight-year-old Thiago, five-year-old Mateo, and two-year-old Ciro.
They're Doing Their Best!
Messi has a pretty funny sense of humor when it comes to his kids. He's joked about their futures in soccer, saying that Mateo is "terrible" at the sport while his brother, Thiago, is "pretty good." The Lionel Messi Foundation also does some great work for kids across the globe, including implementing classrooms in Syria.
David Beckham
David Beckham is well-known for his fantastic soccer career and his high-profile marriage to Posh Spice. These two have really made it for themselves in terms of a happy life! They've been married for 21 years and have four kids together. Beckham has been in the spotlight for years at this point, so his fathering skills are pretty well-known at this point.
Keeping Them Down To Earth
Victoria and David have both said they want to keep their kids "down to earth" even though they are famous worldwide. "My children are my motivation. Simple as that," David once said. "I want to prove to them that if you work hard you can be successful." Victoria has complimented her husband time and time again, telling Entertainment Tonight that, "he's such a great husband, such a great dad, and the most incredible business partner that anybody could ever want. He really supports me in what I do."
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson likes to prove the stereotype of racecar drivers wrong. He likes to walk against the current pretty often, even going as far as dressing up for Halloween with his girls as absolutely whatever they want. Dresses are not out of the question for this guy!
Raising Strong Women
He and his wife, Chandra, want to raise their daughters into strong women who can break boundaries if they want to. Even though NASCAR is a heavily male-dominated space, he wants his daughters to feel comfortable behind the wheel if they want! He and his wife have also started the Jimmie Johnson Foundation to raise money to support K-12 public educations for families in need.
Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao is a family man, first and foremost. In fact, he loves his kids so much that he will not allow them into the boxing ring! His oldest son, Jimuel, has expressed interest in following his father's footsteps. Manny and his wife, Jinkee, have recently agreed to let their oldest start boxing...
"It Pains Me"
Pacquaio has expressed his reluctance in letting Jimuel into the ring. He even says that it pains him to see his son get hit! Luckily, their second-oldest son is mostly interested in music. The worried parents are just happy he doesn't have the same instincts as his older brother!
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal, better known as Shaq, is a basketball player turned sports analyst who is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. At a whopping 7'1" tall, he was basically born to play basketball! He has six kids: Shareef, Shaqir, Me'arah, Taahirah, Amirah, and Myles.
Basketball Life
His second-oldest son, Shareef, is quickly following in his father's footsteps. The 20-year-old is 6'9" and playing basketball for Arizona State. O'Neil never intended for his kids to feel like they have to play basketball, but it does run in their blood! His 18-year-old daughter, Amirah, 17-year-old son, Shaqir, and 14-year-old daughter, Me'arah, are all young basketball stars who play for their school.
Keyshawn Johnson
Keyshawn Johnson is a former NFL wide receiver who had quite an illustrious career. He retired after 11 decorated seasons but didn't leave the football realm. In fact, he's got his hands full with his son, Keyshawn Jr.!
Just Like Dad
Keyshawn Jr. graduated high school in 2017 and went on to play football at the University of Nebraska. Of course, he was invited to play football at USC, his dad's alma mater, but decided against it. His father has said that he's still got some work to do for his career, though, and is going to be helping him out every step of the way.
Shawn Bradley
At 7'6", Shawn Bradley was built to play basketball. In fact, the German-born player is noted as one of the tallest players in NBA history! He's been retired for 15 years now and spends nearly all of his energy on his large family.
Court to Court
Bradley has six kids with his wife Annette: Charity, Chance, Ciera, Chase, Cheyenne, and Chelsea. His daughter Charity is a whopping 6'4" and a pro on the volleyball court. His son Chase is a pro on the basketball court. Obviously, retirement doesn't mean that he's done with sports! He's with his kids every step of the way.
Manute Bol
Manute Bol was a fantastic basketball player and political activist. Tragically, he passed away in 2010 at the estimated age of 47 (when he came to the states, he didn't really know how old he was.) He left behind his wife, Ajok, and children Bol, Madut, Chris, Abuk, and Ayak. He was able to leave his family in a comfortable spot, which is something he always wanted to do.
Basketball Runs in the Family
Bol's son, Bol (yes, his name is Bol Bol) is carrying on his father's incredible legacy. Even though Bol was only 10 when his father died, he was on track to become a great player due to his father's advice and stories.
Randy Moss
Randy Moss is a former wide receiver in the NFL. He played for 12 seasons before retiring and becoming a sports analyst. His son, Thaddeus, is following in his footsteps and he's gone full dad mode these past few years!
Classic Sports Family
Randy Moss has five kids who share their passion for the sport. His son, Thaddeus, is quickly catching up with his dad. He graduated high school in 2016, played tight end for NC State and LSU, and then was signed by the Washington Football Team in 2020. "He knows what it's like in the trenches," Moss once said about his son's accomplishments.
Emmitt Smith
Smith has said that sports are a gift but his kids are his legacy. He makes a conscious effort to make sure his kids feel loved and attended to, even though there are so many of them with so many things going on. "There are moments throughout the day that we try to have individual time with all of the kids... As a father, I try to be home with them in the morning and for dinner, and to have one-on-one time to either put one to bed or help with homework."
Active and Loving Family
Emmitt Smith is a former running back for the NFL and the league's all-time leading rusher. He played for 15 seasons before retiring. He has five children between the ages of 9 and 23 with his wife Patricia. All of the kids are involved in a sport!
Dennis Rodman
"I want to see my kids grow up. I just needed to stop partying, take a step back, and get my life back in order... Now I am getting up in age, so I felt it was time to step back and re-evaluate my life. Like seeing my son, DJ, who is a high-school basketball star, play for the NBA." His kids know that he's a flawed human being, and his daughter, Alexis, has called him a "beautiful person" for trying to overcome his demons. It's not an easy job!
Making A Difference
Nowadays, Dennis Rodman is mostly known for his outrageous sense of style and weird relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Before all of that, he was known as "the Worm" on the basketball court for his fierce defense. He hasn't always been the perfect dad, but he's made up for his behavior in recent years.
Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson, also known as Ochocinco, is a popular name and face in the NFL world. He is a former wide reciever in the NFL and played for 11 seasons for the Bengals, Patriots, and Dolphins. He's gotten a little bit of heat because of how many kids he has, but it doesn't bother him one bit.
#GirlDad
In an Instagram post celebrating his daughters birthday, he wrote, "Happy birthday to the 3rd of the 85 children!" Johnson has eight kids and made headlines that a "surprise" baby girl was born in 2015. People who rag on him for having so many kids doesn't bother him, though. He's a proud "#GirlDad" as he said on an Instagram post with his children, as he only has two sons.
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen played in the NBA for 17 seasons before retiring. He scored six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Nowadays, he's relishing retirement. He has seven children with four women: Antron, 32, Sierra 25, Taylor, 26, Scotty Jr., 19, Preston, 18, Justin, 14, and Sophia, 12. He married Real Housewives of Miami star Larsa, who is also known as close friends with the Kardashian clan.
Always In the Headlines
Pippen's relationship with his kids outside of his marriage with Larsa wasn't always easy, especially while he was still immersed in basketball. Antron plays basketball with a local team in Atlanta, Taylor plays volleyball, Scotty Jr. plays basketball for Vanderbilt, and Preston and Justin play basketball for their high school. Obviously, playing sports is ingrained in their DNA. Despite his estranged relationship with his older kids, he still tries to support the younger ones.
Metta World Peace
Metta Sandiford-Artest, also known as Metta World Peace, is a former professional basketball player. He has three kids: Ron III, Jeron, Sadie, and Diamond. Now, in his retirement, he tries to spend all of his available time with his kids. In fact, he says that a typical day for him is completely centered around his children!
Books for Kids
He's so involved in his children's lives that he even released a book called "Metta's Bedtime Stories." It was written to help children think about daily events in a positive light. Even though he wrote the book when his kids were young, it still resonates with a lot of kids these days!
Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham is a former NFL quarterback. He played 16 seasons with the Eagles and the Vikings. At 57-years-old, he's very much settled into his retirement! Now, he focuses on his kids, who are also super into sports.
Vashti Cunningham
His daughter, Vashti, is especially like her father out of his three kids. She made her Olympic debut in Rio for the high jump. When Cunningham was younger, he also competed in the high jump before heading into the football realm. Nowadays, he coaches all of his kids in their respective sports.