Serena Williams, Shaq, Tony Hawk among athletes joining viral '90s throwback trend

Serena Williams' long run of dominance started in the '90s. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

ESPN staffMar 20, 2026, 03:52 PM ET

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Some of sports' biggest names are calling back to the time of Trapper Keepers and Reebok Pumps.

In the past few weeks, social media users have been posting videos of themselves with the caption: "Dad/Mom, what were you like in the '90s?" The video then cuts to a slideshow of throwback photos of users from that wonderful decade, set to the sounds of the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" -- itself one of the most '90s songs in existence.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, athletes whose heyday or debut was in the 1990s got in on the trend. From Serena Williams to Shaquille O'Neal, here are some of our favorites -- including a few who used the meme as a setup for a pretty good joke.

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A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)

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A post shared by DR. SHAQUILLE O'NEAL Ed.D. (@shaq)

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A post shared by Alex Rodriguez (@arod)

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A post shared by Andre Agassi (@agassi)

Dad, what were you like in the 90's? 😂 #90strends pic.twitter.com/LrjnAkBaP2

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A post shared by Israel Adesanya (@stylebender)

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