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Suffolk, VA isn’t exactly going to stand out on a map. There are bigger, more famous cities, but some of the small towns produce plenty of professional talent. There are more than a few athletes from Suffolk that you have no doubt heard of, even NFL players from Suffolk.

These athletes make Suffolk-born and bred fans proud – not only fans, but also TV broadcasters, journalists, and even top sports betting apps displaying odds for these Suffolk-born athletes.

Rory Sparrow. Sparrow played in the NBA from 1980-1992, a point guard for the Nets, Hawks, Knicks, Bulls, Heat, Kings, and Lakers. The fourth-round pick in the 1980 NBA Draft finished with more than 7,500 career points, 1,700 rebounds, and 4,100 assists in a solid, if unspectacular, career.

Sparrow is also notable for having scored the very first field goal in Miami Heat history. He would go on to work as a player programs manager for the NBA league office after retiring.

Reggie Langhorne. There aren’t many NFL players from Suffolk. Langhorne is the only one, having been taking in the seventh round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He would go on to have a very solid NFL career over nine seasons.

In 1993, the final year of his career, Langhorne had his best season. He finished with a career-high 85 receptions and more than 1,000 yards. Unfortunately, the rebuilding Colts decided to go younger and moved on. Needing a break from the game, Langhorne moved on after nine seasons, finishing with 411 catches, 5,446 yards, and 19 touchdowns.

Lamont Strothers. Strothers is one of the best athletes from Suffolk, a former second-round pick in the 1991 NBA Draft to the Golden State Warriors. He carved out a journeyman’s career from 1991-2002, playing in the CBA, bouncing around the NBA with several teams, and ultimately called it a career in the PBA in the Philippines.

Strothers eventually became a coach after retiring, starting with Bethel High School in Virginia. He also got inducted into the inaugural class of the USA South Conference’s Hall of Fame. He has since taken over the basketball program at Menchville High School, continuing his career in basketball.

Tia Norfleet. Norfleet is one of the more interesting names on the list. Is the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet and racing remained in her blood. She competed in several racing events and ultimately made history. She would become the first and only African American woman to hold a NASCAR driver’s license and even competed in one lap of a Late Model Series race.

Sha’Keela Saunders. Saunders is a decorated track and field star, most notably in the long jump. She competed collegiately at the University of Kentucky, turning pro in 2017. She finished third at the 2017 and 2018 IAAF Diamond League in the long jump. She also won gold at the NACAC Championships and represented the United States at the 2017 World Championships.

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