ESPN released a list of their top 20 players in the last 20 years last week, and to any real sports fan, it was an embarrassment.
The list featured a host of athletes that were caught using performance enhancing drugs and other illegal substances, and it completely omitted several tremendous players. Overall, the list was a popularity contest. The only hockey player on their list was Sidney Crosby, who took 20th place overall, despite there being so many more well-accomplished hockey players in the last 20 years other than Crosby.
So, I offer my own list. One that grades athletes from 1995-2015 based on a slew of different categories, including overall statistics, milestone career accomplishments, championship titles, longevity of their career, and relevancy in their respective sports.
20) Jaromir Jagr (NHL)
Jagr is 43 years old and still significant in the NHL, being traded to the Florida Panthers just before the trade deadline this year from the New Jersey Devils. It doesn’t matter how old this guy is, he’ll play forever. While his two titles with the Penguins came before 1995, he won four straight Art Ross trophies as the top point-scorer in the league from 1997-2001. Fourteen years later, his wrist shot is as accurate as ever. He has the experience to grind out tough minutes in playoff hockey, and is an impact player no matter what roster he is on. The longevity of his career speaks volumes about his athletic abilities.
19) Curtis Martin (NFL)
It only took Curtis Martin 11 years to become the fourth overall leading rusher in NFL history. He averaged four yards per-carry throughout his career and was an absolute workhorse for the New York Jets. I think Patriots fans still might be upset they lost this guy early in his career. He averaged nearly 100 yards per game throughout his career, totaling 14,101 career yards before he hung up his cleats. The way pro football has transformed into a passing league over the years, we might not see someone put up numbers like this again.
18) Michael Strahan (NFL)
Strahan totaled 141.5 sacks in his 15-year football career, and was a force to be reckoned with wherever he lined up defensively for the New York Giants. He was the defensive player of the year in 2001 when he set the single season sack record in NFL history with 22.5. He also was the NFC defensive player of the year for a pair of seasons and won a Super Bowl in his final season in 2007, making him one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history.
17) Patrick Roy (NHL)
Many of Roy’s career accomplishments occurred before 1995, but you can’t knock this guy for what he did for the game of hockey. He is one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game, and he was still relevant during his last seasons in the sport. He won the Conn Smythe trophy in the 2000-2001 season as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Finals, leading the Colorado Avalanche to the title that year.
16) Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
Johnson is the greatest driver the sport has seen in the last 20 years, and if he wins a few more Sprint Cup titles, he may go down as the greatest of all time. Regardless of whether you consider NASCAR a professional sport or not, winning five straight championships in anything is difficult to accomplish. He did just that from 2006-2010 and has racked up 71 wins thus far in his career.
15) Lionel Messi (Soccer)
Messi has single-handedly made soccer relevant in the United States, attracting the attention of American soccer fans with his spectacular goal-scoring abilities. Messi was named the best soccer player in the world four consecutive times, from 2009-2012. There is no telling what this man will accomplish by the end of his career.
14) LeBron James (NBA)
This is where King James belongs. James has two titles and four MVP’s, which speaks volumes of his athletic ability, but he hasn’t done enough to win me over. There are still several players in the NBA who have won more titles and made more of an impact in the sport than LeBron has in the last 20 years. That’s not to say that LeBron won’t be the best to ever play by the end of his career, but it has still yet to be seen.
13) Mariano Rivera (MLB)
Where was this guy on ESPN’s list? He is the greatest closer to ever play professional baseball. He has 652 career saves and notched 1,173 strikeouts along the way. He saved at least 25 games in 15 consecutive seasons and had an ERA under 2.00 for 11 straight seasons, both records in the major leagues. Rivera was one of the most consistent player in the Yankees organization for nearly 20 years, and helped lead the team to five World Series pennants.
12) Tim Duncan (NBA)
The Big Fundamental. This guy has played pure basketball for 18 seasons in the NBA. He is probably the most technically sound big man to ever play the game. Duncan can kiss a shot off the glass from practically anywhere on the floor, and he’s a strong presence in the paint even at the age of 38. He’s won five championships and two MVP awards with the San Antonio Spurs.
11) Usain Bolt (Track)
He’s the fastest man on the planet, and one of the most accomplished runners we’ve ever seen. He was the first Olympic runner to win six gold medals in sprinting events. He is the first person in the world to hold both the 100 and 200-meter world records. Athlete is an understatement when it comes to Usain Bolt.
10) Serena Williams (Tennis)
What hasn’t Serena Williams accomplished in her tennis career? She’s the most accomplished woman to ever play the sport. She has 65 singles titles and 22 doubles titles in tennis, including one singles gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics and three doubles Olympic gold medals shared with her sister Venus.
9) Shaquille O’Neal (NBA)
Shaq, The Big Aristotle, The Big Cactus and the list of nicknames goes on. What a presence this guy was in the paint for the Magic, Lakers and Heat throughout his career. The only thing this guy couldn’t do on a basketball court was hit a free throw. Shaq won four titles, three of them consecutively between 2000-2002 with the Lakers. Nobody wanted to get between Shaq and the rim, and if they did, they’re probably on a poster in your bedroom.
8) Roger Federer (Tennis)
Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player to ever live. He’s won 84 singles titles throughout his career, including 17 grand slam titles, and eight doubles titles. Federer is one of seven tennis players ever to win all four major titles, including Wimbledon on seven occasions. He’s the only player ever to reach the finals in every Grand Slam tournament at least five times, easily making Federer a top ten athlete in the last 20 years.
7) Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Boxing)
Mayweather is a perfect 47-0 in the ring. Boxing is the toughest sport to play and to win 47 consecutive bouts shows how tremendous Mayweather is as an athlete. He’s yet to be seen in the ring against Manny Pacquiao, but the world will get its wish on May 2 of this year. Regardless of the outcome of that fight, Mayweather is one of the greatest athletes the sport has ever seen.
6) Derek Jeter (MLB)
Has there been a more consistent performer, in any professional sport over the last 20 years, than Derek Jeter? I don’t think so. This guy can get you a clutch hit when you need it and is one of the best shortstops to ever play baseball. He won five World Series pennants for the Yankees and blasted his 3000th career hit over the wall and into the stands in his 17th season. Baseball won’t be the same without him.
5) Tiger Woods (Golf)
A lot of scandals have encompassed Woods’ golf career in recent years, but this guy owned the sport for nearly a decade. He has the second most all time wins on the PGA circuit with 79, and has won 14 majors over his career. Woods has been the PGA Player of the Year 11 times. We’ve seen him put the green jacket on after the Master’s Tournament on four occasions. Tiger is the best golfer in the modern era. He’s significantly dropped off towards the end of his career, but Woods will remain a sports legend forever.
4) Michael Jordan (NBA)
I know, this one is hard to swallow, but hear me out. Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest athlete that American professional sports has ever seen, but we have to look at his body of work over the last 20 years. He won three straight titles at the end of the ‘90s, but after that, MJ just wasn’t the same wearing number 45 as he was wearing number 23. Still the greatest basketball player ever, but given the time constraints with this list, it’s hard to place him above the remaining athletes on this list.
3) Kobe Bryant (NBA)
Kobe has done it all in his career. He has five titles, all falling within the last 20 years. Two of them came without Shaq, which many thought he couldn’t do. Until his most recent injury plagued seasons, Bryant was a consistent performer for the Lakers, and one of, if not the best, in the league. If I need a basket with the game on the line, Kobe Bryant is my guy.
2) Tom Brady (NFL)
I’m not sure how ESPN had this guy in fourth on their list. As a Dolphins fan, it’s hard for me to accept this, but Tom Brady is the best football player we’ve seen in the last 20 years. His first Super Bowl title came in 2001, and his most recent came in 2015. He’s been incredible for the New England Patriots for so many years. He takes no-name wide receivers and turns them into pro-bowl players in only a season. Four Super Bowl rings, three Super Bowl MVP’s. Honestly, it’s hard not to rank Brady first.
1) Martin Brodeur (NHL)
My blood was boiling when I saw that Brodeur was omitted from ESPN’s list. Brodeur is statistically the best goalie to ever play in NHL history. He’s won the Jennings trophy for fewest goals allowed in a season five different times, and the Vezina trophy for top goalie in the league on four occasions. Brodeur won two Stanley Cup titles with the New Jersey Devils, and holds nearly every major goalie statistic measured in the sport. In the regular season, he has 690 wins and 125 shutouts, along with 113 wins and 24 shutouts in playoff hockey. He is the greatest to ever play the toughest position of any professional sport, and for this, the best athlete we’ve seen in the last 20 years.