I first posted an article about this topic in 2013. It was the first time I realized just how many extraordinary sports legends were in action at the same time. I even thought it could have been the greatest moment for a sports fan to be alive. And, maybe it was.
Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Rinaldo, Peyton Manning, Mariano Rivera, Serena Williams, Shaun White, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Jimmie Johnson… All extraordinary icons of the sporting world in 2013 and most were in the peaks of their careers. So, I decided to rank them.
In 2017, I updated and expanded the list. Some of our heroes from four years earlier had retired, but some new names made the list.
Now in 2025, I again rank the legends of pro sports in action and admittedly, I incorporated a couple that I missed in previous versions.
I also created this new version by grading each athlete according to the totality of their achievements in their careers and I considered how much influence and/or impact each may have had on their sport and society. I didn’t give much weight to whether or not these athletes are in their primes now- unless it has hurt their legacy.
So, “GOATs” (Greatest of All Time) received the highest rankings. “Almost GOATs” were just below them, followed by legends that have impacted our world in a positive way (in addition to their amazing stats) and then statistical legends .
Have fun reading this post! Please let me know in the comments how you would change my order of these active pro sports legends.
30. AARON JUDGE
Now in his tenth season as a member of the New York Yankees, Judge’s incredible resume is arguably Hall of Fame worthy at present. Among many other accolades, he was the American League Rookie-of-the-Year (2017), two-time American League MVP (2022, 2024), and he broke the American League single-season home run record previously held by Roger Maris since 1961 when he hit 62 HRs in 2022. He’s also had consistent elite batting averages, on-base percentages, and slugging numbers throughout his decade in the league, making him one of the most dominant offensive players in baseball history. And at 33-years of age, Judge is still in the prime of his career. In fact, he’s having an exceptional 2025 season so far, currently leading the league in BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. He also ranks second in home runs, runs scored and RBIs, plus he was selected as an All-Star starter (for the seventh time).
29. TONY STEWART
Tony Stewart is a highly accomplished motorsports racer/owner known for being the only driver to win championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR. In 2001, Stewart also became the only driver in history to finish on the lead lap of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day and in 2020, he was inducted into the NASCAR hall of fame. Nicknamed “Smoke”, Stewart also has championships in USAC Silver Crown, Midget, Sprint cars, and the IROC series. And, half-way through the 2025 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) season, Stewart is the points leader in the Top Fuel Class. If he wins the championship in this sport, he will set himself even further apart from any other driver in racing history with victories in several diverse motorsports categories. The 54-year old has also had numerous championships and wins as a team owner in various racing series.
28. NIKOLA JokiC
This 30-year old Serbian is currently the best center in the NBA and is widely considered one of the game’s all-time greats. So far during his 10 year career (all with the Denver Nuggets), Jokic has claimed 3 MVP titles (2020/21, 2021/22, 2023/24), won an NBA Championship & was that Finals MVP (2023/24), was a 7 time All Star, named to the All NBA Team 7 times and has led all players in the league with the highest Player Efficiency Rating (PER) for the last 5 years. He’s also the all-time PER leader in the history of the NBA. (A high PER value indicates how statistically productive a player is.) This stat is obviously an indication of just how exceptional Jokic’s performance has been over the course of his career and the impact he’s had on the league. What makes this gifted superstar so dominant is his keen ability to score from all over the court, his elite rebounding ability, high basketball IQ, agility for his size (6’11, 284 lbs) and his incredible work ethic, among other attributes. He is currently under contract with Denver through the 2027-28 season.
27. SHOHEI OHTANI
Ohtani may only be in his eighth MLB year but the 31-year old from Japan has already racked up numerous awards including an MLB Rookie of the Year prize (2018), 2 AL MVP titles while with the Angels (2021, 2023), a unanimous NL MVP title with the Dodgers (2024), and a World Series win with the Dodgers 2024. Known for his exceptional two-way abilities both as a Cy Young caliber pitcher and elite clutch power hitter, Ohtani has been compared to the likes of Babe Ruth, becoming the first player in history to be named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a position player (2021). Additionally, he became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same (regular) season in 2024. In my opinion, not enough baseball fans outside of Los Angeles appreciate this guy’s greatness. He’s on my bucket list to see play in person & should be on yours, too.
26. TRAVIS KELCE
Football insiders may think that age is catching up with the 35-year old veteran NFL tight end, but there’s no doubt that Kelce is considered one of the greatest ever at the position due to the many records and achievements he’s amassed so far. Beyond the 3 Super Bowl wins, he was selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times, received 7 All-Pro nods, was named to 9 NFL Top 100 Teams, he’s the league’s all-time active receptions leader, he has the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons for a TE (7), had the most receiving yards by a TE in a single season (1,416 yards in 2020), the most receiving TDs in playoff games for a TE (19), the most receptions by a TE in playoff games, most receiving yards by a Chiefs player, (12,151 yds), most receiving TDs in Chiefs history (77), most 100-Yard Receiving Games by a TE (37), most 100+ Reception Seasons by a TE (3) and he was selected to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. As for retirement rumors, it appears that #87 does plan to return for the 2025 season, but his future in the league beyond next year remains a question mark.
25. JIMMIE JOHNSON
Johnson is one of the most dominant drivers in NASCAR history. He has 83 career wins (good for sixth most all-time). He’s also tied with Hall of Famers Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for the most Cup Series championships (7) and he was the first driver to win five consecutive titles (from 2006 to 2010). The California native has also made 700 career NASCAR Cup Series starts (becoming the 21st driver to do so) and he has multiple wins in the “Crown Jewels Races” including two Daytona 500s, four Brickyard 400s, and two Southern 500s. The 49-year old retired from full-time racing in 2020 but returned in 2023 as a part-owner and driver for the former Petty GMS team (now rebranded as Legacy Motor Club). He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2024.
24. MAX SCHERZER
Similar to Kershaw & Verlander, Scherzer has been a starting pitcher in MLB for almost 2 decades. The 40-year old holds 3 Cy Young Awards (2013-AL, 2016-NL, 2017-NL), was a 2 time World Series winner (2019, 2023), has a high career strike out number (3,423 – good for 11th most ever), was an 8 time All Star, pitched 2 No-Hitters (2015 – June, Oct), has a high career WAR, was a 4-time Wins leader and had 30 starts each season from 2009-2018. But unlike his other two peers on this list, Scherzer did not have an MVP or Triple Crown season so I ranked him slightly lower here. To be clear, I did sandwich them together because trying to rank the three veteran pitchers felt like I was splitting atoms… Currently, Scherzer plays with Toronto, where he signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract. A thumb injury sidelined him for part of the season, but he is expected to be a key part of their starting rotation if the Blue Jays make the post season.
23. CLAYTON KERSHAW
This future first ballot Hall of Famer is one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in MLB history. In 18 seasons (all with the Dodgers), Kershaw has achieved extraordinary feats including three CY Young awards (2011, 2013, 2014), an MVP season (2014), two World Series rings (2020, 2024), a No-Hitter (2011), one Gold Glove (11), a Pitching Triple Crown (2011), 10 time All Star, low career ERA (2.51 – the lowest since 1900) and now he’s a member of the 3,000 strike out club (only 19 other pitchers ever reached this summit). Despite being past his peak and experiencing lingering injury issues the past several years, the 37-year old is still capable of performing at a high level and that is also something he deserves credit for.
22. JUSTIN VERLANDER
As a diehard Yankees fan, this is not the easiest bio to write because this starting pitcher owned us in the post season with a 5-1 record… Seriously, despite his enormous success against NY in the playoffs, I give all credit to Verlander for an incredible 20 year career. The 42-year old has won: the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2006, 3 Cy Young Awards (2011, 2019, 2022), AL MVP (2011), 2011 AL Triple Crown (best in BA, HRs and RBIs), 2 World Series Championships (2017, 2022), 3 No-Hitters (2007, 2011, 2019), he’s the Active Strike Out Leader (3,471), has 262 Career Wins (40th Most All Time), and he’s a 9x All Star. These incredible stats will likely get the Virginia native into the Hall on the first ballot. But also very respectable is how durable and dominant Verlander has been during his two decades in the league. It’s incredible to think that he earned a Cy Young award and was named MLB’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 nearly 17 years after his debut in the league… This season Verlander has pitched for the Giants and becomes a free agent in 2026.
21. MIKE TROUT
Mike Trout’s 15-year MLB career can be divided into two phases. From 2012-19, he defined what the “perfect player” looked like as he consistently demonstrated his elite abilities in hitting, fielding and base running. He earned the Rookie of the Year award (2012), 9 Silver Sluggers, 3 MVP titles (2014, 2016, 2019), a Stolen Base title and was an 11 time All Star. He also led the league in WAR multiple times and he now sits ranked at #50 in all-time WAR, above Chipper Jones, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose, Ken Griffey Jr and Joe freaking DiMaggio, to name a few greats of the game.. The second part of Trout’s career has been less than stellar mostly due to several different injury issues, some of which have required surgery. For example, since 2020, Trout has only one season when he played in more than 100 games (2022). And in 2021, he was limited to just 36 games… So far in 2025, the New Jersey native continues to struggle with nagging injuries. But while the future Hall of Famer may have seen his best years behind him, he was arguably the best baseball player of his generation in his prime (with or without a World Series Championship).
20. AARON RODGERS
Rodgers is one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time. Across his 20-year career, he’s achieved a Super Bowl win, Super Bowl MVP, 4 NFL MVP Awards (second all-time), posted the top 2 single-season lowest TD/Int ratio in league history, was selected to the Pro Bowl a Packer franchise-record 10 times, ranks fifth in passing TD all-time, ranks seventh in most completed passes all-time, holds the highest regular season passing average (over Mahomes) and he had 3 seasons with at least 40 touchdown passes (2011, 2016, 2020). Tom Brady is the only other QB to achieve this… For the upcoming 2025 NFL season, Rodgers is set to return as the starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But he told Pat McAfee in June this will be his final act in the league. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is it. You know, that’s why we just did a one-year deal… This was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had. I mean, I’ve played 20 freaking years. It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it. What better place to finish than (with) one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL.”
19. RORY MCILORY
Some say McIlory may be the greatest European golfer in the modern era, especially after he achieved the Career Grand Slam with his Masters 2025 victory. It was a feat that only five other players have ever done and which no other European has achieved. Along with his four other major wins, McIlroy has won the FedEx Cup a record three times, he’s been a six-time Race to Dubai champion, and he spent over 100 weeks ranked as the world’s number one golfer. So while the 36-year old Northern Irishman may not yet be a candidate for golf’s Mount Rushmore, he’s already had a significant career with the PGA and proved his ability to bounce back and overcome adversity after ending a decades-long major title drought with his 2025 Masters win.
18. PHIL MICKELSON
Love or hate Mickelson’s move over to LIV Golf, what he achieved on the PGA Tour from 2004 through 2021 is nothing short of legendary. The San Diego native won 45 PGA Tour events (eighth most all-time) including 6 major titles (3 Masters – 2004, 2006, 2010; 2 PGA Championships – 2005, 2021; and 1 British Open (2013). The only major to elude him so far has been the U.S. Open, which he finished second or tied for second six times and had nine top 10s. Mickelson also claimed the record for oldest player to win a major (which was the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50), and he collected 11 European Tour victories and won 4 times on the Champions Tour. Additionally, Mickelson was on 12 Ryder Cup teams and 12 President’s Cup teams where he holds the record for the most points won by a player… The 55-year old’s plans for the future seems to include staying with LIV Golf. But he also plans to continue competition at the 3 PGA majors he won exemptions and will try to earn an exemption into the 2026 US Open at Shinnecock.
17. VENUS WILLIAMS
Right before I was about to finalize this list, I found out via a post on Twitter that 45-year old Venus Williams had accepted a main draw singles wildcard into an ATP/WTA 500 tournament, which starts next week. Like many other tennis fans, I thought she had retired from tennis but it seems she has just remained “inactive” for about a year and a half… She has already won a total of 71 pro tennis titles (49 singles and 22 doubles titles). This includes 7 Grand Slam singles titles (5 Wimbledon’s & 2 US Opens), 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, and 3 Olympic gold medals in doubles with her sister Serena. She was also World No. 1 in the WTA rankings for 11 weeks and World No. 1 in the Doubles rankings for 8 weeks. Outside of her playing career, Williams has made an impact on the sport by advocating for equal pay for women. She also became a positive role model for future generations of tennis players becoming the first African American woman to be ranked Number One in the world during the open era.
16. JASON BELMONTE
This Aussie is considered one of the greatest pro bowlers of all-time. He won 15 major championships (most all-time), 32 PBA Titles (seventh all-time), he’s also one of two bowlers to ever win the “Super Slam” (all 5 majors), he won 7 Player of the Year awards (tied for the most ever) and he’s 1 of only 4 bowlers to win that award 3 consecutive seasons (2013-15). The 41-year old is also the all-time leader in both USBC Masters and PBA Tournament of Champions titles (winning each event 4 times) and he’s the only 3-time winner of the PBA Players Championship… In addition to his amazing achievements, “Belmo” revolutionized ten pin bowling by popularizing the two-handed style which was once considered a controversial technique. But his dominance, power (and lasting success) as a two-hander shut down the naysayers and instead, Belmonte has gone on to inspire a new generation of bowlers who have wanted to emulate his game. As a result, he has received 4 ESPY Awards in recognition of his excellence in bowling as well as an appointment as a member of the Order of Australia for his significant contributions to the sport.
15. STEPH CURRY
Steph Curry first stepped onto a basketball court as a Golden State Warrior in 2009 and right away, he became a trailblazer of the sport with his three-point shooting abilities. Curry has been so successful from the field goal line over the last 16 years, the “baby-faced assassin” now holds the all-time record of field goals with 4,058, which is far more than any other player in NBA history. The point guard also holds the record of the most three-pointers in a single season, most games with 9+ three-pointers, most games with at least one three-pointer, and most seasons leading the league in three-pointers. Curry is also a four-time NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, two-time NBA Scoring Champion, NBA Steals Leader, eleven time All-NBA Team selection and he helped the 2024 USA Mens Basketball Team win an Olympic Gold Medal… And, he’s not done yet. The 37-year old’s father (former NBA Guard Dell Curry) told CBS Sports that he can see his son playing “well into his 40’s“.
14. PATRICK MAHOMES
It’s hard to believe Mahomes is only 29-years old. He’s already appeared in 5 Super Bowls (won 3), was named Super Bowl MVP 3 times, took the Chiefs to 7 AFC Championship games, was named NFL MVP twice, and was named to the Pro Bowl 6 times. Mahomes is also revolutionizing the sport at the quarterback position with his unique and innovative playing style that consists of off-platform throws, no-look passes, and his ability to make clutch plays outside the pocket. This mobile, creative style of play has influenced an entire new generation of quarterbacks as well as coaches across the sport and it’s reshaping quarterback development in high school and beyond. Still in his prime and with many more years ahead of him in the NFL, Mahomes has a strong chance of breaking Tom Brady’s record 7 Super Bowl wins.
13. SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE
Most sports fans have heard of Usain Bolt, the greatest male sprinter of all time. But, I wonder how many of those people are also aware that another famous Jamaican, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, is considered one the greatest female sprinters ever, as well as one of the “most enduring track athletes” of all time… Known as the “mommy rocket”, Fraser-Pryce has done something extraordinary: She has competed as an elite sprinter consistently for 18 years (from the late 2000s to the 2020s), even after having given birth to a son (2017). She also holds several significant records in track and field, particularly in the 100 meter sprint, having won 5 world titles (2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022), breaking the record for the most Olympic medals won in the 100m as a female (4) and she is the first woman to break 10.7 seconds six times in a single season. All told, Fraser Pryce has won a total of 8 Olympic medals (3 golds, 4 silvers, 1 bronze) and 10 World Championships. Now at the age of 38, she is set to retire at the end of 2025. But, she does plan to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 13-21, which she has stated will be her last race. Bookmarked.
12. ALEX OVECHKIN
I don’t follow the NHL closely, but I am well aware of the rivalry between long-time offensive hockey players Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby along with the debate of which one is the “GOAT”. Both entered the league in 2005 and both went on to become superstars who’ve each racked up similar elite stats. But ultimately, Crosby ranks slightly higher for me because of the players’ head to head numbers, Stanley Cup victories and multiple championships representing his country in international hockey competitions… Some of Ovechkin’s outstanding achievements include a Stanley Cup Championship, having played the most games ever in the NHL, scoring the most points per game and the most game winning goals and shots of goal. But, most importantly, the 39-year old broke Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record in April.
11. SIDNEY CROSBY
The 37-year old has three Stanley Cup victories, the most assists and the most points in NHL history. He also won gold with Team Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (and scored the “golden goal” in overtime), won gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, has a 2016 World Cup with Canada (also named MVP of the tournament), and Crosby participated in the 2025 “4 Nations Face-Off” tournament as the captain of Team Canada. The tournament, which temporarily replaced the NHL All-Star Game, featured teams from Canada, the United States, Finland, and Sweden. Crosby led Canada to the championship game, where they faced off against the United States. As for playing style, Crosby is considered more diverse than Ovechkin and as a better two-way player, contributing significantly to the defensive side of the game along with face-offs.
10. SIR LEWIS HAMILTON
In the world of Formula 1 racing, Hamilton is statistically the most successful driver ever with the most race wins and is tied for the most World Championships. The 40-year old Brit also holds multiple records including the most career pole positions, the second most number of fastest laps, most podium finishes, most wins at the same Grand Prix (9, British), most consecutive race starts and he’s the first F1 driver to receive a knighthood while still actively competing in the sport… Hamilton first raced for McLaren (2007-2012), then for Mercedes (2013-2024) and now he’s with Ferrari since the start of the 2025 season, which he has stated was a “childhood dream“. But, he’s yet to get onto the podium with Ferrari, marking it one of the worst starts to a season in his career. Reports indicate that Hamilton has been working hard with his new team to make adjustments and upgrades to his car and still holds out hope that he will recapture some of his former glory in the near future.
9. CRISTIANO RONALDO
Fans of international soccer (football) may be divided as to whether Ronaldo or Messi are the GOAT. But Ronaldo’s lack of a World Cup with his home country of Portugal is a fact that separates out the resumes of the two superstar footballers. Of course, Ronaldo has amassed a triumph of scoring records and accolades that he has collected during his 20-year career for 5 different clubs including (but not limited to): the first man to win UEFA Champions League 5 times, the most UEFA appearances, goals, men’s player awards and wins, has the most EURO appearances and goals, he made the most goals in international football, the leading scorer for Real Madrid, the leading scorer for Champions League, won the Ballon d’Or 5 times (second only to Messi’s 8), and he has led his home country to victory in the European Championships and UEFA Nations League. The 40-year old has played with Al-Nassar (Saudi Arabia) since 2023 and hopes to someday attain the milestone of 1,000 career goals (he has 938).
8. NATHAN CHEN
Widely considered one of the greatest men’s figure skaters of all time (if not the GOAT), Chen is the first skater to land 7 clean quad jumps in competition (2017) and the first to land 5 different types of quads in competition. This ability to incorporate multiple quad jumps into his programs revolutionized men’s figure skating and helped him to set world records in both the free skate and overall scores. Known as the “Quad King”, Chen’s other accolades include a 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Gold Medal, 3 World Championships and 6 U.S. titles. He also became the first Asian American man to win the U.S., World, and Olympic titles in singles skating. In 2022, Chen decided to take a step back from the sport to study at Yale but he has not yet formally retired. A possible return for the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy may be in the cards for the 26-year old.
7. Katie LedeckY
Ledecky is the most decorated female swimmer in history and the most decorated American woman in Olympic history. She is also considered the greatest distance swimmer of all time, excelling from 200m to 1500m freestyle events. Incredibly, she has a total of 14 Olympic medals (9 golds, 4 silver, 1 bronze), which is tied with Australia’s Emma McKeon as the most decorated female swimmer of all time. The 28-year old also has 21 World Championship titles (including a record 16 individual titles, surpassing Michael Phelps’ tally), she’s also the first to win the same individual event at 4 consecutive Olympics (800m freestyle- from 2012 through 2024), has Olympic gold in the 200m, 400m, 800m, & 1500m freestyle events (and broke world records in all those events), she was named Swimming World’s Female World Swimmer of the Year a record 5 times and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024. Ledecky is reportedly mulling over competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics when she’ll be 31 years old. She said in 2024, “I’ll take it year by year, and give it everything I’ve got for as long as I have left in me.”
6. MIKAELA SHIFFRIN
Shiffrin is the winningest Alpine ski racer of all-time (including both men and women) having won 101 Alpine Ski World Cups. Surpassing 100 of these titles is considered a monumental achievement in the history of alpine skiing and a landmark moment in sports history. The 30-year old American’s success has been due to her extraordinary ability to dominate in both technical (slalom and giant slalom) and speed (downhill, super-G, and combined) events, a feat few pro skiers ever achieve. Her awards includes 3 Olympic medals (2 gold), and 15 World Championship medals (8 gold). Remarkably, Shiffrin started out as a young prodigy making her World Cup debut at age 15. By her 16th birthday, she became the youngest American ski racer to claim a national alpine crown. At 17 she won her first World Cup title and at 18, she became the youngest ever slalom gold medalist in Olympic history. The phenom has admitted to recent struggles with lingering PTSD symptoms sustained during a serious crash in Nov 2024. But, she is scheduled to continue competition when the Alpine Ski World Cup season kicks off in October 2025.
5. SIMONE BILES
Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all time, male or female. She has 41 World/Olympic medals, her 11 Olympic medals and 7 Olympic gold medals are the most ever by a U.S. gymnast, her 23 World gold medals are the most in gymnastics history, she was the first woman to win 6 World all-around titles, 4 World balance beam titles, 6 World floor exercise titles, and she was the first to win 4 gold medals at a single World Championships (2014) since 1974. Biles has also pushed the boundaries of the sport with her explosive power and ability to compete the most difficult skills to the point where 5 skills are named after her in the international code of points. The 28-year old has also become a powerful advocate for mental well-being after having openly shared her experiences as an athlete with anxiety and panic attacks prior to Olympic Games… Biles’ gymnastics future remains uncertain but she indicated earlier this year, she hasn’t ruled out competing in the 2028 Los Angeles games, but that “2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging.”
4. NOVACK DJOKOVIC
The 38-year old tennis legend has won 100 singles titles including a record 24 Grand Slams (10 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, 4 US Opens), a record 72 Big Titles, a record 40 ATP Masters events, a record 7 year-end Tour Final Championships, and an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic is also the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of all 4 majors at once across 3 different surfaces and he finished as the year-end No. 1 a record 8 times. In singles, the Serbian is the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam, and the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters, a feat he achieved twice. These accomplishments are all the more prodigious considering he was a part of the “Big Three” when his greatest competitors for most of his career were Rafael Nadal (won 22 majors) and Roger Federer (won 20 majors), both former dominant forces in the world of tennis. Djokovic has an overall winning record against both of them and every other of his top adversaries, except for Jannik Sinner who most recently defeated him at the 2025 Wimbledon Semi-finals.
3. LEBRON JAMES
It’s hard to quickly encapsulate what “King James” has achieved in his NBA career spanning more than 2 decades but as ESPN’s Stephen A Smith has said, “Nobody has been this good for this long…” Now at 40 years of age, James is the league’s all-time leading scorer. He also has the most career turnovers, the second most field goals, the second most free throws, the fourth most career assists, and ranks sixth in career steals. Among the many awards he’s collected in his career, he was Rookie of the Year (2003), won 4 NBA Championships (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 4 Finals MVP, 4 league MVPs (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), named an All-Star a record 21 times, named to the All NBA Team a record 21 times, and won 3 Olympic Gold medals (2008, 2012, 2024) as a member of the U.S. national team. The Ohio native is also the oldest active player in the NBA, tied for the most seasons played and holds the record for the most minutes played in league history. Off the court, James is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the world having been featured in numerous books, films and commercials. And he’s the first player in NBA history to accumulate $1 billion in earnings as an active player.
2. LIONEL MESSI
This Argentine international footballer (soccer) is widely considered the GOAT amongst fans and experts due to the staggering array of individual awards and team trophies he’s collected over the course of his 20 year career. Some of these accolades include: the most trophies in soccer history (46), a record 8 Ballon d’Or titles, 6 European Golden Shoes, a FIFA World Cup triumph (2022), 4 UEFA Champions League trophies, 10 La Liga trophies, 7 Copa Del Rey titles, 2 Copa América titles (2021, 2024), the 2022 Finalissima and 8 times was named the world’s best player by FIFA. He’s also broken numerous records including scoring the most goals by a player for a single club (672- Barcelona), scored the most goals and assists in La Liga all-time, played the most games for Argentina in a World Cup (26) and he’s the player with the most official recorded assists in football history (385). What sets Messi apart is his exceptional foot speed and dribbling skills, tremendous soccer IQ, unrivaled versatility, and closing prowess… The 38 year old played for Barcelona FC (2004-2021), Paris Saint-Germain (2021-23) and now he’s with Inter Miami since 2023. In 2024, he won the MLS MVP when he recorded the most wins, goals and points in Inter Miami club history, and secured the MLS single-season points record (74).
1. TIGER WOODS
Whether or not you believe this man is the GOAT of men’s golf, I think we can all agree that he’s definitely one of the faces we would choose to be on our Mount Rushmore of golf. The 49-year old is tied for the most PGA Tour wins ever (82), won the second most PGA majors (15), won 41 European Tour titles (third most all-time), was the number one player in the world for the most consecutive weeks (and for the greatest total number of weeks) of any golfer in history, was awarded PGA Player of the Year a record 11 times, won the Byron Nelson Award (for lowest adjusted scoring average) a record 8 times, he is one of only 6 players to achieve the career Grand Slam (and the youngest to do so), and just the second golfer to achieve a career Grand Slam 3 times… Not to be overlooked by the many achievements Woods recorded in golf is how much impact he’s had on the sport and society as well. Woods helped to break down racial barriers, raised the bar on golf athleticism and work ethic, inspired new generations of golfers to want to play the sport, influenced golf course design and equipment innovation, and he significantly increased golf’s revenue with his massive endorsement deals, media attention and charisma. The “Tiger Woods Effect” is real and ongoing while he is currently recovering from an Achilles injury and expected to return to competition in 2026.