It’s that magical time again where we all get to feel old as hell. As we approach the drafts in the major U.S. sports we get to take a look at the prospects, and quickly realize who is the kid of someone we used watched play in their prime.
Druw Jones, Scotty Pippen Jr. and the other sports sons are carving out their own path
We’re all so old.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
There is no way to feel better about this. It hurt when Glen Rice Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. entered the NBA, but now we’re seeing the kids of players from the mid 00s, or even later, begin to hit the big leagues. This is your last opportunity to look away, lest you feel like dust in a few more moments.
MLB
- Druw Jones: Looking like a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, outfielder Druw Jones is a phenom at the position with greatness in his future. In case you didn’t pick it up from the name, he’s the son of Andruw Jones, who was in MLB until 2012.
- Jackson Holliday: Another first round lock, Holliday is seen as the top shortstop in the upcoming draft. Oh, he’s also Matt Holliday’s son — and Matt was still playing FOUR YEARS AGO for the Rockies.
- Justin Crawford: Another great center fielder, Crawford is likely to be taken at the back-end of the first round, or very early in the second. He happens to be Carl Crawford’s son, and the former four-time All Star last played in 2016.
NBA
- Scotty Pippen Jr.: Vanderbilt’s best player, and potential NBA draftee. Scotty is only a junior, but the point guard has been a tremendous player for the Commodores who’s shown serious playmaking potential. Scotty withdrew from the draft a year ago, electing to stay for another year and improve his stock. It’s unclear if he’ll get selected either this year or next, but there’s a chance he could be a solid rotational player for a team. Do I even need to tell you who his dad is?
- AJ Griffin: Star forward AJ Griffin has been a rock for Duke this season. While he will definitely be a one-and-done player for the Blue Devils, the NBA is already ready to bring him into the fold. An athletic, rangy wing/guard with a great feel for the game and an NBA body, AJ will be taken in the lottery, and potentially even the Top 10. He’s the son of Adrian Griffin, a journeyman best known for his time on the Mavericks alongside Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki.
NFL
Last year was the bumper crop, with Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain II and Asante Samuel Jr. all entering the draft with famous NFL dads. So far 2022 is looking a lot quieter, at least for a couple of years. The pipeline for NFL sons is going to be huge in a few years. That’s when Cole Pennington (Chad’s son), Antonio Gates Jr and Cristian Driver (Donald’s son) could all be potential NFL Draft picks.
As for this year ...
- Michael Irvin II: The Florida Atlantic tight end hasn’t had many opportunities in college. He enrolled at Miami following in his father’s footsteps, but didn’t manage to get reps — so he transferred. Now a 24-year-old redshirt senior, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be drafted, but could get a camp invite on his father’s name.
