ESPN Top 20 athletes (5NBA players)

[RoundMoundOfReb]

No. 14: Tim Duncan

If there is such a thing as a quiet five-time NBA champion, Duncan is it. Who else, after all, could earn a nickname as unassuming and flashless as "The Big Fundamental?" But for 17-plus seasons, he has anchored the San Antonio Spurs -- the league's most consistent franchise this century -- not once missing the postseason. That means there is an entire generation of San Antonians that knows nothing but Duncan's penchant for sustained excellence. And for those convinced outlet passes, layups and rebounds do not a highlight reel make, Duncan's best asset as a player just might be his ability to elevate the four Spurs taking the court with him. And that a (five-time) champion does make.

No. 11: Shaquille O'Neal

The Big Aristotle. The Big Cactus. The Big Shaqtus. Shaq. It was almost as though no one name was big enough to capture all 7-foot-1, 28,596 points worth of the four-time NBA champion. Nor one team. In all, O'Neal called six cities home, but he spent eight seasons -- by far his longest stint -- with the Los Angeles Lakers, much of it on a love-him-today-hate-him-tomorrow roller-coaster ride with Kobe Bryant. Still, they -- and we -- will always have their Game 7, 2000 Western Conference finals, comeback-sealing alley-oop. O'Neal's post-shot, arms-to-the-heavens, mouth-agape celebration was pure joy. In other words: pure Shaq.

No. 8: Kobe Bryant

Forget, for a moment, April 2013, when Bryant collapsed to the court, his Achilles ruptured and his season over. Look past March 2014, when the Lakers shut Bryant down again, this time with a fractured knee. Pay no mind to January 2015, when the L.A. institution succumbed to season-ending shoulder injury. Before all that, there was a shooting guard so singularly focused on winning, he returned to Philadelphia for the 2001 NBA Finals, telling his hometown the Lakers would "cut their hearts out." There was a Laker who dropped 81 points, second most for a single game in NBA history -- on a night in January 2006. And there was a Bryant who brought five titles (in 11 seasons) to Hollywood.

No. 2: LeBron James

When the Cleveland Cavaliers selected hometown kid James with the first pick of the 2003 NBA draft, we were all witnesses. When the King took his talents to South Beach seven years later, we were all witnesses. And four years after that, when James announced he was coming home, we were all witnesses. There were five championship appearances, two titles won and four MVP honors in between. He was beloved, reviled, then beloved again, and all before he was 30.

No. 1: Michael Jordan

The tongue. The clincher. The flu. The fax. Yes, the '90s belonged to His Airness -- and every last moment he left in his iconic wake. Jordan won back-to-back-to-back championships starting in the 1995-96 season -- and as many Finals MVPs -- but above all else, he gave rise to an entire generation that just wanted to be like Mike. "I think he's God, disguised as Michael Jordan," Larry Bird once said ... along with just about every other sports fan who had the privilege to watch Jordan elevate the game of basketball to an art form.

[Beastmode88]

List is already a joke when you place lebron at 2 over people like tiger woods. Dont get me wrong lebron belongs on this list but number 2 yeah right.

[TylerOO]

List is already a joke when you place lebron at 2 over people like tiger woods. Dont get me wrong lebron belongs on this list but number 2 yeah right.

Golf isnt real.

[Ca$H]

LOL. ESPN having Bran @2. I'm surprised they didn't put him at number one. :facepalm

[riseagainst]

why is lebron at 2?

[Achilleas]

lame thread :facepalm
because americans don't watch football this don't mean that football players shouldn't be in the lise.
and in federrer should have been maybe in the first 5

[Psileas]

Which eras are supposed to be covered here?

Edit: Maybe it's the day.

[Budadiiii]

:biggums:

Where the **** is Freddy Adu.

[24-Inch_Chrome]

What a ****ing joke. Jeter? Get the **** out of here. This has to be an April Fools' Day thing.

[Budadiiii]

Which eras are supposed to be covered here?

Edit: Maybe it's the day.
Past 20 years.

[Budadiiii]

Jordan
Phelps
Armstrong
Bonds
Tiger


My top 5

[Achilleas]

:biggums:

Where the **** is Freddy Adu.

lol i remember that trash,he played in greece,he was hyped from americans to be a star :roll: :lol ,all the time they show him drinking at 4 at night :hammerhead:

[Joyner82reload]

Tiger Woods & Federer should easily be #1 & #2. Their level of dominance in their respective sports were virtually unprecedented. Despite what they've become today, particularly Tiger, they were the best talents of the era. And how the hell is MJ #1? Obviously his final 3-peat is included in that timespan, but really? He played 6 seasons in the last 20 years..and 2 were with the Wizards. Also discounting American bias, there should be many more footballers in the top 20.

[ShawkFactory]

Jordan
Phelps
Armstrong
Bonds
Tiger


My top 5
http://s21.postimg.org/in7h0qsuv/1236_1385112605.jpg

[Achilleas]

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/k8tfpb9zUa0/hqdefault.jpg

armstrong :facepalm

[Budadiiii]

http://s21.postimg.org/in7h0qsuv/1236_1385112605.jpg
LeBron's not on my list

[ShawkFactory]

LeBron's not on my list
Nor mine. Tiger, Phelps, Federer, Pujols, Kobe/Duncan. Take your pick on the last one. Both have a strong case.

Is it comforting for you to lable me a Bran stan? Is it either you hate him or you're a stan?

I don't care either way. Just genuinely curious. :confusedshrug:

[Papaya Petee]

:roll: :roll: Messi not in the top 3? Ronaldo or Zidane not in the top 20 at all?

Jordan who played 6 seasons at 1? LeBron over Shaq?


:banghead:

[BigNBAfan]

Golf isnt real.


Go play it... it requires PURE skill..

[ShawkFactory]

Go play it... it requires PURE skill..
:applause:

Been playing for years. Still can't consistently stay in the 80s. Granted, I haven't played much the past year or so.

[Budadiiii]

Nor mine. Tiger, Phelps, Federer, Pujols, Kobe/Duncan. Take your pick on the last one. Both have a strong case.

Is it comforting for you to lable me a Bran stan? Is it either you hate him or you're a stan?

I don't care either way. Just genuinely curious. :confusedshrug:
Manning/Brady > Kobe/Duncan

Football > basketball.

[ShawkFactory]

Manning/Brady > Kobe/Duncan

Football > basketball.
I'd give you that. Actually have no idea why they slipped my mind. Too much basketball talk :lol

But you put 2 very notorious juicers on your list.

[Achilleas]

Manning/Brady > Kobe/Duncan

Football > basketball.

yes football>basketball
but
zidane/ronaldo>kobe,duncan

[24-Inch_Chrome]

Manning/Brady > Kobe/Duncan

Football > basketball.

Randy Moss > Brady/Manning if we're talking raw athleticism though, no? I agree that football > basketball, at least for the purposes of this type of list.

If it was an all-time list you'd end up with 3 football players vying for top spot in Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, and Jim Thorpe. Jordan is definitely at least in the running for GOAT basketball athlete but he wouldn't scratch top spot in an overall list across all sports.

[ShawkFactory]

Randy Moss > Brady/Manning if we're talking raw athleticism though, no? I agree that football > basketball, at least for the purposes of this type of list.

If it was an all-time list you'd end up with 3 football players vying for top spot in Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, and Jim Thorpe. Jordan is definitely at least in the running for GOAT basketball athlete but he wouldn't scratch top spot in an overall list across all sports.
Yea but is this list talking raw athleticism?

[Budadiiii]

Randy Moss > Brady/Manning if we're talking raw athleticism though, no? I agree that football > basketball, at least for the purposes of this type of list.

If it was an all-time list you'd end up with 3 football players vying for top spot in Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, and Jim Thorpe. Jordan is definitely at least in the running for GOAT basketball athlete but he wouldn't scratch top spot in an overall list across all sports.
Well we're definitely not talking raw athleticism.

Think of it as best "sportsmen"

QB is arguably the most important position in team sports.

So if you do it this way, without steroid scandal athletes

MJ
Phelps
Brady
Tiger
Zidane (for you salty Euros)

White dudes dominate the sporting landscape and my list proves it. I could easily replace Tiger with Federer and the list would have 4 white dudes.

[24-Inch_Chrome]

Well we're definitely not talking raw athleticism.

Think of it as best "sportsmen"

QB is arguably the most important position in team sports.

So if you do it this way, without steroid scandal athletes

MJ
Phelps
Brady
Tiger
Zidane (for you salty Euros)

White dudes dominate the sporting landscape and my list proves it. I could easily replace Tiger with Federer and the list would have 4 white dudes.

I'm alright with that top-5 if we're talking more impact than athleticism. I'll be honest, couldn't really get through the original article, probably missed the blurb explaining their criteria. It certainly explains how Derek Jeter made it.

[PejaTheSerbSnip]

Tiger Woods & Federer should easily be #1 & #2. Their level of dominance in their respective sports were virtually unprecedented. Despite what they've become today, particularly Tiger, they were the best talents of the era. And how the hell is MJ #1? Obviously his final 3-peat is included in that timespan, but really? He played 6 seasons in the last 20 years..and 2 were with the Wizards. Also discounting American bias, there should be many more footballers in the top 20.

Good post. IMO in the last 20 years there's a clear top 5 to me

Woods
Fed
MJ
Zidane
Phelps

And then the rest, in no order
Messi
Ronaldo
Nadal
Kobe
LBJ
Mayweather
Duncan
Brady
Tendulkar
Pujols
GSP
Jon Jones
Lemeiuex
Shaq
Hasek
Roy Jones
Sampras
Karelin (look him up kids)
Djokovic
Greg Maddux
Clemens/Bonds (roids and all)
Bolt
Randy Johnson
Pedro
Manning
Serena Williams (yes, I know she wouldn't even win a challenger title on the men's circuit)
Brazilian Ronaldo

[Budadiiii]

I'm alright with that top-5 if we're talking more impact than athleticism. I'll be honest, couldn't really get through the original article, probably missed the blurb explaining their criteria. It certainly explains how Derek Jeter made it.
For ESPN, it's just a popularity contest, with some respect to their actual sporting dominance

But no, it has nothing to do with raw athleticism. Just who dominated a relevant sport the most.

Phelps dominated swimming, but the olympics are HUGE, and he has the most medals in history. So he's the exception to the relevant sport thing

[24-Inch_Chrome]

For ESPN, it's just a popularity contest, with some respect to their actual sporting dominance

But no, it has nothing to do with raw athleticism. Just who dominated a relevant sport the most.

Phelps dominated swimming, but the olympics are HUGE, and he has the most medals in history. So he's the exception to the relevant sport thing

I agree, Phelps definitely deserves a spot.

It's true that even though swimming on its own isn't relevant it is when it's in the Olympics. It's that magical time when every fringe sport matters for a month or so, and when someone is as dominant as Phelps it deserves recognition.

[ImKobe]

MJ and Lebron are 1 and 2 in terms of athleticism

[FKAri]

Dunno why some people have Brazilian Ronaldo a tier below Zidane. Even with injuries he had a legendary career. Without injuries he's probably the GOAT.

[kennethgriffin]

Yall are giving espn way too much credit by letting this get past 3 pages


If i made a list and published it online saying #1 is a 35 year old with a 3 year career and #2 is a guy whos 2 for 5 and theyre over people like tom brady, tiger woods, roger federer, lance armstrong, michael phelps (forget kobe i dont even need him as an option ) ... nobody would even gove me the time of day...

[KobesFinger]

Posted this in the other thread: what was the criteria for the list?

[24-Inch_Chrome]

Posted this in the other thread: what was the criteria for the list?

I think it's trying to gauge impact/popularity. Budadiiii referred to it as evaluating it in terms of "best 'sportsmen.'"

[kennethgriffin]

I think it's trying to gauge impact/popularity. Budadiiii referred to it as evaluating it in terms of "best 'sportsmen.'"


Pretty sure tom brady, tiger woods, kobe bryant all had more impact and were more popular.. all while being allot more successful in their careers


Atleast compared to lebron


Without popularity involved you could also argue federer, phelps, armstrong

And i doubt lebron would get the send off jeter got

[kennethgriffin]

Lets just all agree espn is officially worse than fox news in terms of propaganda

[KobesFinger]

I think it's trying to gauge impact/popularity. Budadiiii referred to it as evaluating it in terms of "best 'sportsmen.'"

In that case surely David Beckham should be on there

[LBJHEAT]

This is the worst sports list I've ever seen. Football is by far the biggest sport on planet and Messi is #12 and Cristiano Ronaldo isn't even on the list are you kidding me? And yes cross-country skiers are also athletes.

last 25 years I would have:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Lionel Messi
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Usain Bolt
5. Roger Federer
6. Tiger Woods
7. Zinedine Zidane
8. Michael Phelps
9. Ole Einar Bj

[ShawkFactory]

[QUOTE=LBJHEAT]This is the worst sports list I've ever seen. Football is by far the biggest sport on planet and Messi is #12 and Cristiano Ronaldo isn't even on the list are you kidding me? And yes cross-country skiers are also athletes.

last 25 years I would have:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Lionel Messi
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Usain Bolt
5. Roger Federer
6. Tiger Woods
7. Zinedine Zidane
8. Michael Phelps
9. Ole Einar Bj

[Hey Yo]

Posted this in the other thread: what was the criteria for the list?
Great athleticism + success ??

[ShawkFactory]

Great athleticism + success ??
How is this so hard to grasp?

:facepalm

[kennethgriffin]

[QUOTE=LBJHEAT]This is the worst sports list I've ever seen. Football is by far the biggest sport on planet and Messi is #12 and Cristiano Ronaldo isn't even on the list are you kidding me? And yes cross-country skiers are also athletes.

last 25 years I would have:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Lionel Messi
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Usain Bolt
5. Roger Federer
6. Tiger Woods
7. Zinedine Zidane
8. Michael Phelps
9. Ole Einar Bj

[PejaTheSerbSnip]

jordan too high. kobe too low


this is 1995 to 2015


not 1985 to 2015

remember that

Did you read his post?

[kennethgriffin]

Did you read his post?

Didnt notice he switched ot to 25 years

Dunno why we're switching the criteria just to please jordan stans

Why not just make it for the last 100 years then

[Budadiiii]

Didnt notice he switched ot to 25 years

Dunno why we're switching the criteria just to please jordan stans

Why not just make it for the last 100 years then
Jordan
Ruth
Pele
Ali
Durant

[ShawkFactory]

Didnt notice he switched ot to 25 years

Dunno why we're switching the criteria just to please jordan stans

Why not just make it for the last 100 years then
So butthurt :lol

[ShawkFactory]

Jordan
Ruth
Pele
Ali
Durant
He's an HM. Jim Brown takes his spot.