Returning to one`s origins often holds a special significance. Carlos Correa exemplifies this sentiment, as the Houston Astros recently re-acquired him in a trade with the Minnesota Twins. Correa was originally drafted by Houston in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft and played seven seasons for the team. During his initial tenure, he secured a World Series title with the Astros in 2017 and ranks among the top four in franchise postseason history for hits (82), home runs (18), and RBIs (59).
However, Correa is far from the only prominent athlete to make a comeback to the team where their professional journey began. This article examines other notable figures in U.S. professional sports since 2000 who have revisited their former clubs.
MLB
Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
First stint: 2001-2011
Second stint: 2022
Pujols enjoyed a legendary initial period with the Cardinals, earning three National League MVP awards and two World Series championships over ten years. He consistently batted over .300 with 100 RBIs every season, except for one.
After signing a significant $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels in 2011 (then the second-highest in MLB history), Pujols returned to the Cardinals before the 2022 season. That season saw him achieve the remarkable feat of becoming only the fourth player to hit 700 career home runs before he retired at the season`s end.
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
First stint: 2001-2012
Second stint: 2018-2019
Ichiro`s debut season with the Mariners, after arriving from Japan, stands as one of the greatest ever. He remains the only player to win MVP, Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger award in the same season. This set the stage for a career where Ichiro consistently led the major leagues in hits, though his only postseason appearance with the Mariners was in 2001.
In July 2012, at his own request, Seattle traded Ichiro to the New York Yankees. He subsequently played for the Yankees and then the Miami Marlins before rejoining the Mariners in 2018. He concluded his career the following year in Japan, participating in an overseas series against the then-Oakland Athletics.
Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners
First stint: 1989-1999
Second stint: 2009-2010
`The Kid` quickly made a significant impact in the major leagues. He earned All-Star honors in every season except his rookie year during his first period with the Mariners. Griffey hit at least 40 home runs in each of his final four seasons, including a league-leading 56 in 1997, the year he won the AL MVP.
The Mariners traded him to the Cincinnati Reds before the 2000 season, a move that reunited him with his father, Ken Griffey Sr., who was the Reds` bench coach at the time. Griffey Jr. had spent his childhood frequenting the clubhouse while his dad played for Cincinnati during his first nine MLB seasons.
The Hall of Famer returned to Seattle in 2009, playing two more seasons before his retirement.
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
First stint: 2009-2017
Second stint: 2023-present
McCutchen amassed numerous accolades during his initial run with the Pirates, earning five All-Star selections and winning the NL MVP in 2013. He also received the Silver Slugger award four times during the early 2010s, helping the franchise end its two-decade postseason drought.
The Pirates traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. The outfielder then played for several teams before making his return to Pittsburgh in 2023.
NBA
Chris Paul, LA Clippers
First stint: 2011-2017
Second stint: 2025-present
During Paul`s initial six seasons with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, the team achieved an impressive .658 win percentage, ranking third-best in the NBA alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game throughout these six seasons, as the Clippers consistently made the playoffs.
He re-signed with the franchise ahead of what will be his 21st NBA season.
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
First stint: 2012-2023
Second stint: 2025-present
The sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard quickly rose to prominence, winning Rookie of the Year and subsequently averaging at least 20 points every season. He holds the franchise records for career points and 3-pointers for the Trail Blazers, and ranks second all-time in assists.
Portland traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds over two seasons. He suffered an Achilles tear during the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. Milwaukee waived Lillard earlier in July and stretched his remaining contract to sign Myles Turner, which paved the way for Lillard to finalize a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
First stint: 2003-2010
Second stint: 2014-2018
James spent his first seven NBA seasons in Cleveland after being selected first overall by the franchise in the 2003 draft. He won back-to-back MVP awards and led the Cavaliers to their inaugural NBA Finals appearance in 2007, averaging 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists.
Famously, he announced his departure from the Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in 2010 during an ESPN special. However, four years later, after winning two championships with the Heat, he published an essay declaring his return to the Cavaliers.
James fulfilled his promise of bringing a championship to Cleveland by defeating the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
First stint: 2003-2016
Second stint: 2017-2019
Wade cemented his status as one of the league`s top guards during a 13-year stretch with the Heat. Drafted by the franchise as the No. 5 pick in 2003, Wade played a crucial role in Miami, helping the team secure its first championship in 2006.
He earned Finals MVP honors after averaging 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in their victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Wade was also a key member of Miami`s “Big Three” alongside James and Chris Bosh, winning consecutive NBA championships in 2012 and 2013.
In 2016, Wade left Miami to sign with his hometown Chicago Bulls, but in February 2018, the Heat brought back their franchise icon in a trade, with Wade retiring the following year.
Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
First stint: 1996-2006
Second stint: 2009-2010
`The Answer` was a dominant force in his initial period with the 76ers, averaging 28 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.3 steals across ten seasons. His MVP season in 2001 saw Philadelphia reach the NBA Finals, where they won Game 1 before ultimately losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
Iverson became a local legend in Philadelphia, but not all stories have a happy ending. The franchise traded him to the Denver Nuggets in December 2006, eleven days after Iverson requested a trade.
Three years later, in need of guard depth, the 76ers signed him to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. Iverson played 25 games for Philadelphia that season before retiring from the NBA.
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
First stint: 1995-2007
Second stint: 2014-2016
Before the Anthony Edwards era in Minnesota, the most successful period for the Timberwolves centered around Garnett. The forward/center joined the Timberwolves after being selected fifth overall directly out of high school in the 1995 NBA draft.
Garnett proved to be one of the league`s best all-around players, averaging 20.5 points and 11.4 rebounds during his first tenure. He won the MVP award in 2004, making him the first — and still the only — Timberwolves player to earn that distinction.
After three consecutive seasons missing the postseason, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster deal during the 2007 offseason. He won a championship in his very first season with Boston before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013. The Timberwolves then traded for Garnett in February 2015, where he played one more season before retiring the following year.
NFL
Charles Woodson, then-Oakland Raiders
First stint: 1998-2005
Second stint: 2013-2015
The Hall of Fame defensive back was the second-highest defensive player ever selected when the Raiders drafted him fourth overall in 1998. Woodson immediately justified that decision.
He earned Pro Bowl selections for four consecutive seasons, won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and received All-Pro first-team honors once. He also played a vital role in the franchise reaching the Super Bowl in 2002. At 29 years old, Woodson signed with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.
The Heisman Trophy winner spent seven seasons in Green Bay before returning to play for the Raiders. Woodson played three more years for Oakland before retiring in 2016.
James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers
First stint: 2002, 2004-2012
Second stint: 2014-2017
As one of the greatest undrafted NFL players in history, Harrison established himself among the game`s elite linebackers with the Steelers. Harrison was a key member of two Super Bowl-winning squads and also won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008.
He departed for the divisional rival Cincinnati Bengals in 2013, then officially announced his retirement at the Steelers` facility on September 5, 2014. However, just weeks later, he signed a deal to return to the franchise.
Pittsburgh released the linebacker in December 2017, and he subsequently signed with the New England Patriots before retiring after that season.
Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings
First stint: 1998-2004
Second stint: 2010
Moss energized the Vikings after being selected 21st overall in the 1998 NFL draft. He led the league with 17 touchdowns and also averaged 19 yards per reception as a rookie, helping the franchise reach its first NFC Championship Game since the 1987 season.
The Vikings traded Moss to the Raiders in 2005, and the Hall of Fame receiver played for several teams before being traded back to Minnesota during the 2010 season. He appeared in four games before the franchise waived him.
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
First stint: 2011-2019
Second stint: 2021
Newton started his career strong, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Panthers. Four years later, he led the franchise to Super Bowl 50 during his MVP-winning season, remaining the only Carolina player to win the award.
His initial tenure with the Panthers concluded as the decade ended. Newton signed with the New England Patriots in July 2020 after the Panthers released him in March. He re-signed with New England the following year but was released before training camp.
Newton returned to Carolina in November 2021, starting five games.
WNBA
DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury
First stint: 2009-2019
Second stint: 2025-present
After Phoenix drafted Bonner with the No. 5 pick in the 2009 WNBA draft, she rewarded the franchise with three consecutive Sixth Player of the Year awards. In 2012, Bonner had a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20 points per game. Two years later, she secured her second championship with the Mercury.
The Connecticut Sun acquired her in a sign-and-trade deal in 2020, involving three first-round picks. She signed with the Indiana Fever in 2025 before the franchise chose to waive her during the season, paving the way for Bonner`s return to the Mercury.
Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
First stint: 2010-2013
Second stint: 2025
Charles had a dominant initial period in Connecticut, earning All-Star honors every season and the league MVP award in 2012. She averaged 17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks during a stretch where the Sun reached the conference finals in back-to-back seasons.
She spent her next six seasons with the New York Liberty before playing for four more teams prior to her return to Connecticut in 2025.
NHL
Teemu Selänne, Anaheim Ducks
First stint: 1995-2001
Second stint: 2005-2014
Selanne did not begin his career with the Ducks — joining the club in his fourth NHL season — but his first stint in Anaheim proved to be the most prolific of his career. The Hall of Fame winger posted four consecutive All-Star campaigns in his first four full seasons with the team, including 1998-99 when he became the league`s first Maurice Richard Trophy winner, awarded to the NHL`s leading goal scorer.
The then-Mighty Ducks traded Selanne to the San Jose Sharks in 2001, where he spent a few seasons before signing with the Colorado Avalanche.
Selanne played in Colorado for only one season, returning to Anaheim for the 2005-06 season. His comeback proved highly fruitful — Selanne`s second stint with the club lasted nine seasons, highlighted by a Stanley Cup victory in 2007.
Zdeno Chara, New York Islanders
First stint: 1997-2001
Second stint: 2021-2022
Although Chara is primarily recognized for his 14-season tenure with the Boston Bruins, the Hall of Fame defenseman played both the first and last games of his NHL career with the New York Islanders.
Drafted by the Islanders in 1996, Chara appeared in 231 games for New York across his initial four seasons in the league before being traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001. In 2021, after nearly two decades away from the club, the 44-year-old Chara signed a one-year deal with the organization that originally drafted him.
Chara retired at the end of the 2021-22 season, signing a one-day contract with Boston to officially conclude his career as a Bruin.
Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers
First stint: 2001-2006
Second stint: 2013-2019
A distinguished goalkeeper who played 19 seasons in the NHL, just over half of Luongo`s time in the league was spent in Florida, spread across two tenures with the Panthers.
His first stint with the club began after he was traded to Florida by the New York Islanders following his rookie season. He evolved from a newcomer to a cornerstone player during his time with the Panthers before eventually being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
Seven and a half seasons later, Luongo returned to Florida in a full-circle moment, being traded back to the club from the Canucks. He played several more seasons, surpassing 1,000 career games before ultimately retiring as a Panther in 2019. In 2020, Luongo became the first player in the club`s history to have his number retired.
