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Can You Guess Which Famous Athletes These Babies Grew Up to Be?

Can You Guess Which Famous Athletes These Babies Grew Up to Be?

Test your sports knowledge to see if you can call yourself a true fan of these legendary stars

By Diane J. Cho

January 15, 2020 02:03 PM

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Credit: Shaquille O’neal/instagram

Hint: He grew to be over 7-ft. tall, dabbled in hip-hop as a rapper and was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame alongside Allen Iverson.

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Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty

If Shaquille O'Neal did not instantly come to mind after reading those hints, you may need your NBA fan card revoked. Fun fact: You can still stream Shaq's platinum debut album Shaq Diesel on Spotify.

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Credit: Michelel Kwan/Instagram

Hint: This two-time Olympic medalist and five-time world champion is the youngest of three kids and built her illustrious career on ice. Superfan Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye most famously uploaded a video clip of himself sobbing after learning that she had followed him on Instagram.

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Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

The cutie in the previous photo grew to become Olympic ice skater Michelle Kwan, and the must-see clip of JVN losing it on Instagram can be seen here.

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Credit: Michael Phelps

Hint: The now-father of three has a swimming career so prolific, it borders on Greek mythology. In 2008, he won a record-breaking eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, which made him the first swimmer to ever be named Sports Illustrated's sportsman of the year.

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Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

We doubt baby Michael Phelps knew he would grow up to be so freaking good at swimming. Now that he has three little boys with wife Nicole, who knows which child out of the bunch will continue dad's legacy.

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Credit: Simone Biles/Instagram

Hint: Don't be fooled by her small size. This tiny toddler, seen wrapping her arms around her younger sister, has now won 25 World Championship medals, which is the highest number of championship medals won by any gymnast, EVER.

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Credit: DANIEL KOPATSCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Let it be known that Simone Biles will forever live on in gymnastics history as one of the best — if not the best — gymnasts this world has ever seen.

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Credit: Roger Federer/Twitter

Hint: From ball boy beginnings to winning eight Wimbledon trophies, this youngster eventually set the record of being the oldest male tennis player to be ranked at No. 1 in the world at the age of 36.

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Credit: Maciek Kobielski for WSJ. Magazine

The tennis star we're spotlighting here is Roger Federer, who told Tennis TV in 2019 that, "At heart, I'm always gonna be a ball boy."

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Credit: Lindsey Vonn/Instagram

Hint: She's got a silly side, but her appetite for competition is no joke. She's now a proud three-time Olympic medalist who recently got engaged to another athlete who loves winter sports.

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Credit: Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

Have a need for speed? Retired alpine skier Lindsey Vonn definitely does. She's also set to wed hockey player P.K. Subban after proposing to him over Christmas last year.

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Credit: LeBron James/Instagram

Hint: This adorable baby grew to become known as "The Chosen One." He was drafted into the NBA straight from high school and has gone on to win three NBA Championships — two with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images

LeBron James is his name and he hopes to get his fourth championship ring with his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Credit: Kobe Bryant/Instagram

Hint: This little boy posing sweetly with his sister is now a 2020 basketball Hall of Fame nominee alongside Bill Bertka. He's led the only team he's ever played for, during his 20-year-career, to five championships and has both of his jerseys hanging up at the Staples Center in L.A.

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If you guessed The Black Mamba, Kobe Wan Kenobi or K.B.-24, you guessed right. You can see both of Kobe Bryant's retired jerseys — No. 8 and No. 24 — hanging right below other iconic Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain.

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Credit: Shawn Johnson/Instagram

Hint: This cutie patootie eventually won gold for killing it on the balance beam at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Even though she has retired from her sport, she's taken on a whole new role balancing entrepreneurship and mommyhood.

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Credit: Shawn Johnson

Say hello to Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, who gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Drew Hazel in November 2019. Johnson clinched four medals during the 2008 Summer Olympics with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team in Beijing and her fame continued to soar when she won her season of Dancing with the Stars in 2009, after famously missing her prom to compete on the show.

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Credit: Tiger Woods/Instagram

Hint: His real first name is Eldrick and he's considered one of the most famous athletes of all time. He also holds the title of most PGA Tour wins in history (82 to be exact), with the late Sam Snead.

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Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Tiger Woods is his name and golf is his game. The celebrated athlete most recently secured his first major title in 11 years at the 2019 Masters Tournament, surpassing Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson.

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