diff --git a/statsapi/__init__.py b/statsapi/__init__.py
index db5d08b..c784e03 100644
--- a/statsapi/__init__.py
+++ b/statsapi/__init__.py
@@ -1167,14 +1167,37 @@ def player_stat_data(
     return player
 
 
-def lookup_player(lookup_value, gameType="R", season=datetime.now().year, sportId=1):
+def latest_season(sportId=1):
+    """Get the latest season for a given sportId. Returns a dict containing seasonId and various dates."""
+    params = {
+        "sportId": sportId,
+        "seasonId": "all",
+    }
+    all_seasons = get("season", params)
+
+    return all_seasons.get("seasons")[-1]
+
+
+def lookup_player(lookup_value, gameType=None, season=None, sportId=1):
     """Get data about players based on first, last, or full name."""
     params = {
-        "gameType": gameType,
-        "season": season,
         "sportId": sportId,
         "fields": "people,id,fullName,firstName,lastName,primaryNumber,currentTeam,id,primaryPosition,code,abbreviation,useName,boxscoreName,nickName,mlbDebutDate,nameFirstLast,firstLastName,lastFirstName,lastInitName,initLastName,fullFMLName,fullLFMName",
     }
+    if gameType:
+        params.update(
+            {
+                "gameType": gameType,
+            }
+        )
+    if not season:
+        season_data = latest_season(sportId=sportId)
+        season = season_data.get("seasonId", datetime.now().year)
+    params.update(
+        {
+            "season": season,
+        }
+    )
     r = get("sports_players", params)
 
     players = []
@@ -1187,14 +1210,21 @@ def lookup_player(lookup_value, gameType="R", season=datetime.now().year, sportI
     return players
 
 
-def lookup_team(lookup_value, activeStatus="Y", season=datetime.now().year, sportIds=1):
+def lookup_team(lookup_value, activeStatus="Y", season=None, sportIds=1):
     """Get a info about a team or teams based on the team name, city, abbreviation, or file code."""
     params = {
         "activeStatus": activeStatus,
-        "season": season,
         "sportIds": sportIds,
         "fields": "teams,id,name,teamCode,fileCode,teamName,locationName,shortName",
     }
+    if not season:
+        season_data = latest_season(sportId=sportIds.split(",")[0])
+        season = season_data.get("seasonId", datetime.now().year)
+    params.update(
+        {
+            "season": season,
+        }
+    )
     r = get("teams", params)
 
     teams = []