GREAT ATHLETES STUDY GUIDE
BASKETBALL
1. Michael Jordan – Greatest basketball player ever he won 6 NBA titles & 5 NBA
MVP’s, 6x Finals MVP, 10x Scoring Titles, 9x 1st Team All Defense, 14x All
Star, 3x All Star MVP, Defensive Player of the Year 1988, & 2x Olympic Gold
2. Magic Johnson – Leader of basketball’s “Showtime” known for his passing ,
(great passer) took his team to the finals 9 times, he won 5 NBA titles, 3x Finals
MVP, & 3x League MVP
3. Bill Russell – Greatest team sports athlete he won 11 NBA, 2 NCAA, (titles) & 1
Gold Medal, & 5x MVP of the NBA
4. Kareem Abdul Jabbar – Master of the undefendable shot (Sky Hook) scored the
most points in the history of basketball 38,387
5. Cheryl Miller – 4 time All American in High School & NCAA she was 3 time
player of the year college
6. Diana Taurasi – 3 time NCAA Champion, 3 gold medals, & 2x WNBA
championship still plays, Finals MVP, & (WNBA) MVP
7. Lisa Leslie – 1st woman to dunk in WNBA game she won 3 WNBA MVP’s, 4
gold medals, & 2 WNBA titles
FOOTBALL
8. Joe Montana – Considered the greatest Quarterback ever he won 4 Super Bowls,
only player w/ 3 MVP’s in the Super Bowl, 2x NFL MVP’s
9. Brett Favre – 3 consecutive NFL MVP’s, 321 consecutive games played without
missing a game due to injury (Real Tough Guy) he threw 508 touchdowns = most ever
10. John Elway – Real strong arm he took his team to 5 Super Bowls & won 2
11. Deion Sanders – 1st person to score a homerun & touchdown in the same week.
(MLB&NFL) Only Athlete to play in the World Series and Super Bowl.
2x Super Bowl champ & Defensive Player of the year in the NFL
12. Bo Jackson – Best all-around athlete he was the first to make the All Star team in
(MLB&NFL) First athlete to go pro in baseball & football Known for his freakish power
and speed
13. Barry Sanders – Known for his shake & bake abilities most incredible player to watch play
14. Jim Brown – Most dominant running back led the NFL in rushing 8 of his 9 years. Upon
retiring he broke every meaningful record possible. 12,312 yards & 126 touchdowns
15. Vince Lombardi – Won the first 2 Super Bowls and the Super Bowl Trophy is named after
him Vince Lombardi was the coach of the Green Bay Packers
16. Walter Payton – “Sweetness” Because the way he ran fast and powerful. He was the first
player to break Jim Brown’s record 16,726 yards
17. Lawrence Taylor – Considered greatest defensive player he played linebacker for the NY
Giants, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 1 MVP, 2x Super Bowl Champ
18. Jerry Rice – Voted best football player ever, he holds the record for the most receptions
1,549, most receiving yards 22,895, & most TDs 208 for a wide receiver. “Flash” = 13x
Pro Bowl, 12x All Pro, 3x Super Bowl winner, 1x SB MVP, & went to a 4th Super Bowl
with the Raiders.
19. Anthony Munoz – Considered the greatest offensive lineman ever, 11x Pro Bowl selection,
9x All Pro, 3x Lineman of the Year, & help lead his team to the Super Bowl twice
20. Jim Plunkett – 1st Latino to win the Heisman , 2x Player of the year on the Pacific Coast,
voted best football player (Maxwell Award,) #1 Draft Choice, NFL Rookie of the Year,
NFL Comeback Player of the Year, 2x Super Bowl Winner, & 1x Super Bowl MVP (Not
in the Hall of Fame)
SOCCER
21. Franz Beckenbauer – “Der Kaiser” (the Emperor) led his German national team to a World
Cup as a captain midfielder / defensive player & won a World Cup as Coach of the German
National team.
22. Johan Cryuff- Dutch Soccer player 3x Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) for Player of the year &
1974 Golden Ball award for the World Cup his team took 2nd place
23. Diego Maradona – Midfielder and prolific scorer he won 1 world cup for Argentina (1986)
24. Pele – The greatest soccer player ever he won 3 World Cups (1958, 1962, & 1970) and
known for scoring a lot of goals
25. Eusebio – “Black Panther” played forward & was known as a great goal scorer
26. David Beckham – Turned pro at 17 years old he won 4 titles representing 4 different teams
in 4 different countries (England, Spain, USA, & Italy) = only player ever to do this
27. Mia Hamm – Widely regarded as the greatest female soccer player ever, she won 4 NCAA
Titles, 2x Olympic Gold, 1 world Cup (’99), 2x FIFA Player of the Year, & 158
international goals
28. Abby Wambach – Known for her “Headers” she won 1 NCAA title, 2x Olympic Gold,
played on 3 US World Cup teams, & has the record for international goals with 163 (most
by men or women)
GYMNASTICS & FIGURE SKATING
29. Nadia Comaneci – 1st to score a perfect 10 in gymnastics she went on to win 5 gold medals
30. Mary Lou Retton – 1st American gymnast to win a gold medal & 1st woman on the
Wheaties box
31. Sonja Henie – 3x Olympic Gold Medalist (’28, ‘32, ‘36) & 10 time World Champion in
Figure Skating
BASEBALL
32. Willie Mays – “The Say Hey Kid” 24x All Star, 12x Gold Glove, 2x MVP, & hit 660
homeruns
33. Barry Bonds – One the best baseball players ever he hit the most homeruns 762 was
walked the most 2,558 & was intentionally walked the most 688 times. 7 MVP’s & 8 Gold
Gloves (Not in the Hall of Fame)
34. Pete Rose – “Charlie Hustle” he has the most hits in baseball history 4,256 he also won 3
titles. Pete Rose made the All Star team 18 times in 5 different positions (1B 3B RF, LF,
2B) (Not in the Hall of Fame)
35. Roger Clemens – Dominant pitcher he won 354 times 9th most ever with 7 Cy Young’s
(only person w/ 7 CY) & 2 titles (Not in the Hall of Fame)
36. Jackie Robinson – 1st Black American to play pro baseball he was a 6 time All Star & his # 42
jersey was permanently retired by baseball. Once a year everyone in baseball wears # 42 in his
honor.
37. Ichiro Suzuki – “Asian Invasion” He was Rookie of the Year & MVP in the same
season. He was a leadoff hitter who also plays great in the outfield 10 gold
gloves. Widely considered one of the best hitters ever
38. Roberto Clemente – Great Right Fielder with 12 gold gloves, 2 World Series titles, 1 MVP, 15 All
Star games hit over .300 for his career & had 3,000 hits
39. Babe Ruth – “Sultan of Swat” known for his homeruns he hit 714 won 4 titles & career batting
average was .342
40. Hank Aaron – “Hammerin Hank” broke Babe Ruth’s homerun record he hit 755 homeruns, 3,771
hits, 23 All Star Games, 1 World Series, & his career average was .305
TRACK & FIELD
41. Jesse Owens – Sprinter who won 4 gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in front of Adolf Hitler
42. Carl Lewis – Sprinter who won 9 gold medals in 4 Olympic games 1984 - 1996
43. Tommie Smith – Sprinter from SJSU he Won the gold medal in the 200 and protested the treatment
of Black Americans during the playing of the National Anthem recognized as True American Hero!!
HOCKEY
44. Wayne Gretzky – “The Great One” Greatest Hockey player of all time prolific goal scorer he was
MVP 9 times but 8 in a row and won 4 Stanley Cups & upon retiring held 61 hockey records
45. Patrick Roy – Regarded as the greatest hockey goalie ever, he won 4 Stanley Cups with 2 teams, &
only player ever to win Conn Smythe Award (MVP of Playoffs) 3 times in 3 different decades
(’86,’93,’2001)
TENNIS
46. Serena Williams – Tennis player she has won 17 singles Grand Slam titles 13 doubles Grand slam, &
2 mixed doubles titles. She has 4 gold medals 1 in singles and 3 in doubles her partner is her sister
Venus Williams
47. Arthur Ashe – 1st Black American tennis player to win 3 Major Tournaments (Wimbledon,
US Open, & Australian Open)
48. Martina Navratilova – Considered the best tennis players ever she won 167 singles titles & 177
doubles titles, 18 singles Grand Slam titles, 31 double Grand Slam, & 10 Mixed Grand Slam titles
WRESTLING
49. Dan Gable – 3x High School State champion, 3x NCAA Champion, 1 Gold Medal (’72) Olympics,
& 15 National Championships as head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa (9 in a row)
50. John Smith – 4x HS State Champion, 2x NCAA Champion, 2x Gold Medal winner (’88, 92)
Olympics, & 5x National Championships as head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys
BOXING
51. Jack Johnson – 1st Black American Heavy Weight Champion during the height of the Jim Crow era
he had 45 KO’s
52. Muhammad Ali – “The Greatest” Widely considered the greatest athlete of the 20th century he
became Heavy Weight Champion at 22 and was stripped of his title for refusing to fight in the
Vietnam War. Known for his speed and ability to talk smack truly one of the greatest people to participate in
sports he also won a gold medal at the Olympics. Only 3 time Heavy Weight Champion (RESILIENT!!)
53. Sugar Ray Robinson – “Walker Smith Jr.” Considered the best boxer of all time he was a
welterweight & middle weight champ who tops several lists as best pound for pound boxer. Even
Muhammad Ali thinks Sugar was the best he also had 108 KO’s.
54. Julio Cesar Chavez – Greatest Mexican boxer of all time he had 86 KO’s
55. Rocky Marciano – Boxer who can brag about being the only Heavy Weight Champion to go his
whole career undefeated 49-0 with 43 KO’s
56. Manny Pacquiao – “Pacman” Only boxer to win titles at 8 different weight classes (Flyweight 112
pounds – Super Welterweight 154 pounds) he is known for his speed & power 38 KO’s.
The “Mexicutioner” has held titles at (112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147, & 154 lbs)
GOLF
57. Jack Nicklaus – “The Golden Bear” Greatest golfer of all time 18 Major Championships = most ever
58. Tiger Woods – Revolutionized golf 14 Major Championships & 74 PGA tour wins = 2nd best ever
SKATEBOARDING
59. Tony Hawk – “Birdman” Skateboarder to help bring skateboarding to the mainstream he is the first
to ever land 900 (2 ½ aerial spin) 9 gold medals, 3 silver, & 2 bronze in the X games. Most
recognized skater
60. Steve Caballero – Local San Jose skateboarding legend known for his ability for getting the most air
on the half pipe. Born with scoliosis (severe curvature of back) it didn’t prevent him from being
considered one of the greatest skateboarders ever.