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Statistical twins
Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal. Steve Yzerman and Sidney Crosby. Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez. The careers whose numbers match almost exactly, sport by sport.
By Austin · October 16, 2026
Two careers, decades apart, different teams, different positions sometimes, and the same numbers. We compared every long career in five sports against every other one and kept the pairs whose stat lines match most closely. Some are famous pairs; some are a star and a player you’ve never heard of.
Baseball
We compared every hitter with 1,500 or more hits on seven numbers at once: games, hits, home runs, RBI, runs, walks and stolen bases. Matching on all seven is hard, so the twins here are rare.
Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez came forty years apart and ended up within 9% of each other in every one of seven counting stats, home runs and stolen bases included.
| Willie Mays | Alex Rodriguez | |
|---|---|---|
| Career | 1951–1973 | 1994–2016 |
| Games | 2,992 | 2,784 |
| Hits | 3,283 | 3,115 |
| HR | 660 | 696 |
| RBI | 1,903 | 2,086 |
| Runs | 2,062 | 2,021 |
| Walks | 1,464 | 1,338 |
| SB | 338 | 329 |
The closest pairs
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Greg Luzinski and Kent Hrbek | 1970–1984, 1981–1994 | 4.6% |
| Ron Cey and Robin Ventura | 1971–1987, 1989–2004 | 7% |
| Reggie Sanders and Jose Ramirez | 1991–2007, 2013–2026 | 7.2% |
| Gil Hodges and Johnny Bench | 1943–1963, 1967–1983 | 7.4% |
| Joe Adcock and Willie Horton | 1950–1966, 1963–1980 | 8.1% |
| Moises Alou and Matt Holliday | 1990–2008, 2004–2018 | 8.1% |
| Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez | 1951–1973, 1994–2016 | 8.8% |
| High Pockets Kelly and Travis Jackson | 1915–1932, 1922–1936 | 8.9% |
Twins across the eras
The closest pairs whose careers began at least 20 years apart.
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Reggie Sanders and Jose Ramirez | 1991–2007, 2013–2026 | 7.2% |
| Gil Hodges and Johnny Bench | 1943–1963, 1967–1983 | 7.4% |
| Rudy York and Kent Hrbek | 1934–1948, 1981–1994 | 8.2% |
| Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez | 1951–1973, 1994–2016 | 8.8% |
| Dale Murphy and Andruw Jones | 1976–1993, 1996–2012 | 9.6% |
Basketball
We compared every player with 10,000 or more points on games, points, rebounds and assists.
The two great centers of the 1990s met in the 1995 Finals. Their careers finished almost as close as that series was one-sided.
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Shaquille O'Neal | |
|---|---|---|
| Career | 1984–2001 | 1992–2010 |
| Games | 1,238 | 1,207 |
| Points | 26,946 | 28,596 |
| Rebounds | 13,748 | 13,099 |
| Assists | 3,058 | 3,026 |
The closest pairs
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Sharman and Kelly Tripucka | 1950–1960, 1981–1990 | 4.1% |
| Mickey Johnson and Josh Smith | 1974–1985, 2004–2017 | 4.2% |
| Rudy LaRusso and Dan Roundfield | 1959–1968, 1976–1986 | 4.2% |
| Danny Ainge and Goran Dragic | 1981–1994, 2008–2022 | 4.8% |
| Terry Cummings and LaMarcus Aldridge | 1982–1999, 2006–2021 | 5.3% |
| Clyde Lovellette and Willie Naulls | 1953–1963, 1956–1965 | 5.4% |
| Vernon Maxwell and John Starks | 1988–2000, 1988–2001 | 5.6% |
| Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal | 1984–2001, 1992–2010 | 5.8% |
Twins across the eras
The closest pairs whose careers began at least 20 years apart.
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Sharman and Kelly Tripucka | 1950–1960, 1981–1990 | 4.1% |
| Mickey Johnson and Josh Smith | 1974–1985, 2004–2017 | 4.2% |
| Danny Ainge and Goran Dragic | 1981–1994, 2008–2022 | 4.8% |
| Terry Cummings and LaMarcus Aldridge | 1982–1999, 2006–2021 | 5.3% |
| Sean Elliott and Buddy Hield | 1989–2000, 2016–2025 | 5.8% |
Football
We compared every player with 8,000 or more yards from scrimmage and passing on games, passing, rushing and receiving yards, and catches. Quarterbacks find quarterbacks; receivers find receivers.
Mark Sanchez and Case Keenum played the same number of games in our data, threw for 65 yards apart, and ran for exactly the same 457 yards.
| Mark Sanchez | Case Keenum | |
|---|---|---|
| Career | 2009–2018 | 2012–2026 |
| Games | 77 | 77 |
| Pass yds | 15,357 | 15,422 |
| Rush yds | 457 | 457 |
| Rec yds | 0 | 0 |
| Catches | 0 | 0 |
The closest pairs
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Sanchez and Case Keenum | 2009–2018, 2012–2026 | 0.4% |
| Marques Colston and Demaryius Thomas | 2006–2015, 2010–2019 | 1.5% |
| Caleb Williams and Drake Maye | 2024–2026, 2024–2026 | 5.6% |
| Jamaal Charles and Joe Mixon | 2008–2018, 2017–2024 | 5.9% |
| Maurice Jones-Drew and Aaron Jones | 2006–2014, 2017–2026 | 6.6% |
| Laveranues Coles and Golden Tate | 2000–2009, 2010–2020 | 6.9% |
| Reggie Wayne and DeAndre Hopkins | 2001–2014, 2013–2025 | 7.3% |
| Greg Olsen and Jimmy Graham | 2007–2020, 2010–2023 | 7.7% |
Hockey
We compared every skater with 500 or more points on games, goals, assists and penalty minutes.
Steve Yzerman and Sidney Crosby, two captains a generation apart, are within 6% on games, goals, assists and even penalty minutes.
| Steve Yzerman | Sidney Crosby | |
|---|---|---|
| Career | 1983–2005 | 2005–2026 |
| Games | 1,514 | 1,423 |
| Goals | 692 | 654 |
| Assists | 1,063 | 1,109 |
| PIM | 924 | 898 |
The closest pairs
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Murray Oliver and Andrew Brunette | 1957–1974, 1995–2011 | 2.4% |
| Brian Mullen and Derek King | 1982–1992, 1986–1999 | 3% |
| Mark Johnson and Pavel Buchnevich | 1979–1989, 2016–2026 | 3.6% |
| Steve Thomas and Ray Ferraro | 1984–2003, 1984–2001 | 4.3% |
| Patric Hornqvist and Kyle Palmieri | 2008–2022, 2010–2026 | 4.3% |
| Valtteri Filppula and Travis Zajac | 2005–2020, 2006–2020 | 4.6% |
| Bobby Rousseau and Martin Straka | 1960–1974, 1992–2007 | 4.7% |
| Tomas Plekanec and Kyle Okposo | 2003–2018, 2007–2023 | 4.8% |
Twins across the eras
The closest pairs whose careers began at least 20 years apart.
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Murray Oliver and Andrew Brunette | 1957–1974, 1995–2011 | 2.4% |
| Mark Johnson and Pavel Buchnevich | 1979–1989, 2016–2026 | 3.6% |
| Bobby Rousseau and Martin Straka | 1960–1974, 1992–2007 | 4.7% |
| Bob Pulford and Chris Kunitz | 1956–1971, 2003–2018 | 5.9% |
| Steve Yzerman and Sidney Crosby | 1983–2005, 2005–2026 | 6% |
Soccer
We compared every player with 150 or more goals on games, goals, starts and caps for his country.
Two French wingers born ten years apart: Robert Pirès and Franck Ribéry ended up within 1.2% on games, goals, starts and caps for France.
| Robert Pirès | Franck Ribéry | |
|---|---|---|
| Career | 1992–2013 | 2001–2022 |
| Games | 759 | 762 |
| Goals | 172 | 171 |
| Starts | 633 | 637 |
| Caps | 82 | 83 |
The closest pairs
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Pirès and Franck Ribéry | 1992–2013, 2001–2022 | 1.2% |
| Brandão and Darío Cvitanich | 2001–2017, 2003–2021 | 1.8% |
| Dieter Herzog and Cyrille Regis | 1965–1982, 1977–1995 | 2% |
| Marco Ferrante and Scott McGleish | 1988–2006, 1995–2015 | 2.4% |
| Jay Bothroyd and Luciano | 2000–2020, 2011–2025 | 2.4% |
| Nino and Troy Deeney | 1999–2020, 2006–2023 | 2.5% |
| Lucas Barrios and Duván Zapata | 2002–2023, 2008–2026 | 2.8% |
| Franck Sauzée and Juninho Pernambucano | 1983–2001, 1992–2012 | 2.9% |
Twins across the eras
The closest pairs whose careers began at least 20 years apart.
| Twins | Careers | Within |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Halliday and Gunnar Andersson | 1925–1933, 1950–1959 | 3.4% |
| Dominique Rocheteau and Sergej Barbarez | 1972–1988, 1992–2007 | 3.5% |
| Roberto Muzzi and Jonathan Calleri | 1989–2007, 2012–2025 | 3.7% |
| Felice Borel and Ernest Schultz | 1932–1948, 1952–1963 | 3.7% |
| Niall Quinn and Gylfi Sigurdsson | 1985–2002, 2008–2026 | 4.7% |
Why this matters in The Spread
The Spread asks for the difference between two players in one stat. When the two are twins, the answer is nearly zero, and the hardest part is having the nerve to guess it. When one name on the board is a star you know, a twin is a reminder that a forgotten player can have nearly the same line. More in the Spread strategy guide.
How we counted
Two careers are as close as their biggest gap: for each stat, the difference divided by the larger of the two, and the pair’s score is the worst of those. Small numbers are measured against at least a tenth of the group’s average, so 4 stolen bases against 8 isn’t counted as a 50% miss. Each player appears in one pair at most. Only careers with every stat on record count (in hockey, for example, every stat is official back to 1917).
About the data
- Baseball: the Lahman Baseball Database and MLB’s own recent season stats, back to 1871.
- Basketball: the NBA’s official career totals, back to 1946-47. The ABA isn’t included.
- Football: totals summed from nflverse’s play-by-play stats, for players who debuted in 1999 or later. Games are the games in which a player recorded a stat.
- Hockey: the NHL’s own official career totals, skaters only.
- Soccer: Transfermarkt’s match records, every senior club and international game in every league.
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