soccer

Will the Emenalo brothers be first to make Premier League and NBA debuts?

[Getty Images]

The Emenalo family story is about more than a Chelsea-linked father and his son.

Brothers Sebastien and Landon Emenalo - raised by former Nigeria international and long‑serving Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo - could become the first siblings to play in the Premier League and the NBA at the same time.

Landon, 18, operates as a midfielder or defender, is a regular for Chelsea Under‑21s and represents England at youth level.

Older Sebastien, meanwhile, stands at 6ft 7in and began as a goalkeeper in Chelsea's academy before switching sports. He progressed through the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, and is now a freshman guard at Loyola University Maryland in the United States.

His ambition is clear: to enter the NBA draft within the next two or three years.

Sporting excellence runs throughout the family. Their mother, Erin, was an All‑American goalkeeper at the University of Portland before playing for the Washington Freedom in the first professional women's league in the US.

Within Chelsea circles, the Emenalo name has long been familiar because of Michael, who represented Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup and played in the US, England and Spain, before later working in executive roles at Monaco and in the Saudi Pro League.

For Sebastien and Landon, it has been a blend of nature and nurture that has positioned them to pursue an unprecedented dual rise in two of the world's most competitive sporting environments.

Landon is highly thought of at Chelsea. He has trained under three managers - Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and now Liam Rosenior - and has been on the bench in Premier League, Champions League and Conference League matches.

And having represented both England and the United States - while remaining eligible for Nigeria - he could yet become the focus of a future tug‑of‑war over his international allegiance.

Brothers Sebastien and Landon pictured in Chelsea jerseys
[Getty Images]

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