How Alex Honnold’s Kids Feel About His Skyscraper Live Climbing Career

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Alex Honnold’s kids aren’t quite roped into his death-defying lifestyle.

Two weeks after Alex Honnold climbed Taiwan’s tallest building without ropes for a Netflix live event called Skyscraper Live, he shared that his daughters, June, 4, and Summer, 2, with his wife, Sanni McCandless Honnold, weren’t impressed by his accomplishment.

I recently spoke with Alex, and he shared something really interesting with me. He told me that when his family re-watched something with him, they weren’t truly engaged – it wasn’t a priority for them, and honestly, they just didn’t seem to care. It’s a tough feeling when you want to share something special with loved ones and it doesn’t quite land the way you hoped!

The recent free solo climb, which is now available to watch on Netflix, caused some viewers, including Kim Kardashian and Hannah Berner, to feel anxious. However, the climber himself says his children don’t even realize how dangerous his hobby is.

He added that he doesn’t believe most people understand what rock climbing actually involves. It’s just a regular activity to them, and they have no concept of the challenges he faces in his work.

The 40-year-old joked about how his kids will probably look back at old photos and videos one day. He imagined them watching climbing films like Free Solo and realizing how young and energetic their parents used to be before having kids and getting tired!

Although June and Summer don’t quite understand the danger of climbing without ropes, Alex and Sanni encourage their kids to explore outdoors. They allow them to climb and navigate on their own, which Alex jokingly refers to as “hiking where things could go wrong.”

Honestly, if my dad’s passion for adventure ever rubs off on my kids and they want to live a life like his, I wouldn’t dream of discouraging them. It would make me so proud!

I wouldn’t push my kids to take on risky activities, but I’d be okay with them gradually progressing from hiking to simple climbing, and even to very basic free soloing, if they felt prepared, capable, and understood the risks involved. It’s all a natural progression of skills and confidence.

Alex sees his main job as a father as helping his daughters learn to avoid and lessen risks in everything they do.

As a parent, I want to empower my children and give them what they need to thrive. I hope they grow up feeling confident and comfortable, both when they’re facing challenges in the outdoors and navigating life in general, and that they feel free to pursue their passions.

Alex finished by saying that if people are interested or excited about something, that’s great, and they should be trusted to make the right choices.

Read on for other professional athletes whose kids have taken after them. 

Many people consider him the greatest basketball player ever, so it’s no surprise that his sons, Jeffrey Jordan and Marcus Jordan, wanted to play the sport too. After playing in high school, Jeffrey went on to college basketball at the University of Illinois and then the University of Central Florida, hoping to make a name for himself outside of his famous father’s legacy.

In 2005, Jeffrey told The Washington Post that he didn’t consider himself one of the best players in his state, but he was determined to prove he deserved to compete and wasn’t just a well-known name.

While studying at UCF, Marcus also played basketball, and he says his father was instrumental in helping him find his direction in life.

He explained to The Gainesville Sun in 2011 that while he offered advice when I asked, his main message was to stay focused and work hard, as that effort would eventually lead to success.

Bronny James (born LeBron James Jr. on October 6, 2004) played high school basketball at Sierra Canyon in the San Fernando Valley and later went on to attend the University of Southern California.

LeBron’s busy NBA schedule has often made it difficult for him to attend all of his son Bronny’s games, but he’s always made a real effort to be there. For example, he once rented a private plane on a day off just to watch Bronny’s team, Sierra Canyon, play against his old high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary, in Akron, Ohio.

LeBron told reporters that watching his son play against his former college team was a remarkably special and unexpected experience, feeling like things had come full circle.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! In June 2024, Bronny actually got drafted to the Lakers! Can you even imagine?! It’s insane because that means he and LeBron will be playing together in the NBA! They’re the first father and son to ever do that at the same time – it’s a dream come true, seriously! I’m still freaking out!

LeBron James’s son, Bryce James, began his college basketball career at the University of Arizona in 2025.

 

Rounding out the Sierra Canyon team of all-stars is Zaire Wade, the oldest son of former Miami Heat player, Dwyane Wade.

Zaire, who joined the team in December 2019 after transferring from Florida, explained to Yahoo! Sports that they have to get used to the intense focus on them. He said cameras follow the team everywhere, and while he’s experienced a lot of attention throughout his life, this is unlike anything he’s ever seen. It’s a whole new level of scrutiny.

In April 2020, Zaire announced on Instagram that he was transferring to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, Florida, because he wasn’t getting enough playing time.

Zaire was selected 10th overall in the 2021 NBA G League draft by the Salt Lake City Stars. After that, he played for the Cape Town Tigers in the Basketball Africa League and most recently signed with a team in the ASEAN Basketball League in April 2024.

 

Former football star Cha’iel Johnson might be surpassed by his own daughter’s athletic achievements. She’s a talented track and field athlete who won the girls’ 800-meter race at the 2017 AAU Junior Olympics when she was just 12 years old.

I’ve been following her career since her high school days at St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, and I was so excited to see her move on to compete for the University of Kentucky! It’s been amazing to watch her progress.

 

One of the NBA legend’s sons, standing 6-foot-10, played basketball at UCLA. His college career ended when he needed heart surgery due to a medical condition.

He sat out the 2018-19 season after leaving his previous school and then transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU). LSU proudly honors its famous alumni, including Shaquille O’Neal, with a 900-pound bronze statue outside the basketball practice facility.

Following his time at Louisiana State University, the basketball player began his professional career in 2022 with the NBA G League Ignite, a team designed to develop young talent for the NBA.

 

Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter, who is 6-foot-2, decided to play college basketball at LSU in 2020, joining her brother Shareef on the team. (They are pictured together above.)

Making the transition from high school to college is a big step, and it was a tough decision for me,” she said. “I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m ready for the challenge. I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve committed to playing sports at LSU with my brother, Shareef O’Neal. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spend the next four years as a Tiger.

She joined the basketball team at Texas Southern University for the 2021-2022 season.

 

The oldest daughter of a two-time NBA All-Star played basketball with Izela Arenas, Gilbert Arenas’ daughter, while they both attended Sierra Canyon school.

In a December 2020 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Randolph spoke about his time playing for Michigan State under coach Tom Izzo. He described Izzo as a tough, demanding coach who pushed his male players hard. However, he noted that female players were different, explaining that they connected with Izzo on a more personal level and he was very supportive of their efforts, holding a special place in his heart for them.

MacKenly joked that she’d won against her dad in one-on-one matchups three times, adding that he doesn’t bother with defense.

Terique, the 6’3″ son of an NFL Hall of Famer, initially joined Florida Atlantic University’s football team as a walk-on in 2019. He spent most of his youth playing basketball before deciding to focus on football as a teenager. He began his college football career at Contra Costa Community College and later transferred to Florida Atlantic.

After his college football career, Terique signed with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad.

A standout player from Sierra Canyon High School, he was a four-year starter and led his team to two state championships. He then played college basketball at Vanderbilt University before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022 with a two-way contract.

In 2024, Scotty Jr. signed a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies that allows him to play for both the Grizzlies and their G-League affiliate. He had previously played briefly for the South Bay Lakers, the G-League team affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Michael Jordan, the legendary Chicago Bulls player and five-time NBA champion, is also a father.

Dennis Rodman Jr., also known as DJ, was a high school athlete at Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California, playing both basketball and football. He initially played college basketball at Washington State before transferring to the University of Southern California in 2023.

I’ve been saying it for years! Back in 2017, even his high school coach, Ryan Schachter, told the Orange County Register that he was seriously underrated – nobody really knew just how amazing he was back then, and honestly, still doesn’t get the recognition he deserves in Southern California! I just knew he was special.

After his college career, DJ joined Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League in 2024.

While Dennis Rodman’s son followed in his footsteps by playing basketball, his daughter, Trinity Rodman, chose a different sport: soccer. After her first college season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, she turned professional in 2021, joining the Washington Spirit. In 2022, she also made the United States Women’s National Soccer Team.

In 2024, Trinity won Olympic gold as part of Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

 

It’s no surprise that Tiger Woods’ son is a talented golfer. Charlie Woods first appeared on television playing golf with his father at the 2020 PNC Championship when he was just 11 years old.

Asked about practicing his swing before playing with his son, the golf champion said he hadn’t worked on it at all. He explained he wasn’t focused on his own game, but on making sure his son had a great and enjoyable experience.

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2026-02-05 05:49