2. Johnny Unitas wore the No. Honorable mentions: Billy Williams, Chase Utley, Amos Otis. 67 for five seasons, far more than any other player. Kevin Garnett wore No. Prior to that, he made seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and won two MVPs. Few players were as reliable while also being incredible on the court Hes the greatest Spur of all time and a 15-time All-NBA team member. In a 20-year career, all with the Red Wings, the Swede won a whopping seven Norris Trophies for being the top defenseman. In the course of his 16-year career, Elway matured from rawly talented escape artist to field general. The NBA also has a rich history of players to rock the number with champions like Kawhi Leonard,Kevin Garnett, andKyrie Irving all sporting the 2 on their backs. That future Hall of Famer is Von Miller, who should be the preeminent 58 eventually. Why he's here: Two seasons at No. Honorable mentions: Joe Morgan, Gene Tenace, Andy Van Slyke. In his 22-year career, the right-hander with a devastating curveball won 289 games, struck out 3,701 (that total is still fifth all-time) and pitched nearly 5,000 innings in the majors (4,970, to be exact). Moss and Shannon Sharpe both wore No. Heres how incredible Fedorovs all-around game was. In this sport, though, stats arent the only numbers that matter. Allen was actually named to the Hall of Fames All-Decade team in both the 90s and the 2000s. Damon hit 235 homers and stole 408 bases in his career. 72 for his entire 13-year tenure with the White Sox. Why he's here: The hard-throwing Yankee has established himself as one of baseball's top relievers over the past two seasons. Pretty impressive. *Years refers to the time the player spent with the primary team listed with this number. 62. Honorable mentions: Ernie Banks, Ken Boyer, Jim Rice. Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff/MCT/Sipa USA, Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT/Sipa USA, Tim Groothuis-Witters Sport/USA TODAY Sports, Photo by Malcolm W. Emmons/Sporting News via Getty Images, Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS/Sipa USA, Damian Strohmeyer / Hulton Archive / Getty Images, Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT/Sipa USA, Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader/KRT, Michael Zagaris/MLB Photos via Getty Images, Susan Tripp Pollard/Contra Costa Times/MCT/Sipa USA, Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT/Sipa USA, Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/TNS/Sipa USA, Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/MCT/Sipa USA, Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/TNS/Sipa USA, Ian McVea/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT/Sipa USA, Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT/Sipa USA, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Why hes here: One of the most underrated players of his era, Stieb was one of the top AL pitcher of the 1980s, even if no one knew it at the time. Witten will never make the football announcing Hall of Fame, but hes on his way to the NFL Hall when he finally retires. He created the archetype of the modern slugger, and his exploits on and off the field made him the perfect Jazz Age superstar. Abdul-Jabbar has more points than anybody in NBA history. The Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time. Send a Message. 96 for four seasons. This was not a hard choice and not just because of the quality of Mannings career. The Greatest NBA Player To Wear Each Jersey Number From 00 to 23 So when New York pulled off the massive deal to get Rodriguez, he switch to No. Mark Messier would also make a fine choice. He wore it when he won four MVPs. Hes not in the Hall of Fame yet, but he will be one day soon (he was just 23 votes shy of being part of the Class of 2016). 81 with the Patriots when he was setting NFL records. A point guard with the size to play center, Johnson was ahead of his time, and yet he still won three MVPs. Another 87 with injury issues, Rob Gronkowski, deserves a mention, and not just because he has a WWE title to his name now. Why he's here: He's the only player to wear No. Why he's here: Quite simply, Hammerin' Hank was one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. Thats what happens when you make six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. The Best Athletes To Wear Number 2, Ranked By Fans What a slouch! While he had brief stints in other numbers, during the bulk of his career, including his time with the Braves, he wore No. He still could get there, and he's the most talented player to put on No. The Greatest Athletes by Number (00-10) - Sports Illustrated Honorable mentions: Warren Spahn, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa. The tight end has 1,215 receptions in his career, which is fourth all time. Why hes here: Damon gets the nod here over Joe Morgan, who only wore the number for seven seasons with Houston, before he became a superstar with the Reds. Tim Brown was also a great receiver but not quite on par with Owens. Why he's here: The Pirate starting pitcher wore No. Sure, hes in the Hall of Fame, but the man was All-Pro six times and won Defensive Player of the Year once. 97. The eight-time All-Star lead the NL in ERA four times and won 355 games, most among pitchers of the last half century. Why he's here: Gibson was an elite pitcher, and he just barely edges out fellow elite pitcher Pedro Martinez for the top spot due to a longer career. Also, he's been a pretty good pitcher, with a Cy Young, three All-Star selections and 218 wins to his name. He also accumulated 2,460 hits in 19 seasons. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century across all sports by the International Olympic Committee. Years active: 1995-2014 Honorable mentions: Nolan Ryan, Orlando Cepeda, Willie Randolph. This was a battle of three linebackers: two in the Hall of Fame and one headed there. Brown played tackle for the Giants from 1953 until 1965, being named an All-Pro six times en route to the Hall. Apparently Pittsburgh Penguins history is filled with great players who wear unusual numbers. Like Murphy, hes in his sports Hall, but he did it all in 55. Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player. Orr hurt his knee, while Gehrig tragically developed ALS, known colloquially to this day as Lou Gehrigs disease. Too early? As most baseball fans know, April 15, 1947 is a special day in MLB history. Reggie Miller also did some great things in this number. The Czech sniper is third in career goals in NHL history, even though he took off a few seasons to go play in the KHL. Wayne Chrebet . Parish earned those rings by taking on three of the league's legendary big men in the NBA Finals: Moses Malone in '81, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in '84 and Hakeem Olajuwon in '86. Not that this was super easy. The NFL and NHL have also had their fair share of famous athletes who wore 2 on their jersey like Matt Ryan and Brian Leetch. His best year may have been in a different number, but the bulk of his Hall-of-Fame career in Seattle came wearing 96, so hes still the choice here. As smooth and regal a player who ever wore a Celtics . He won 266 games and threw three no-hitters in his 18-year career with the Indians, and that total would have undoubtedly been higher had he not missed three-and-a-half seasons (when he was 23 to 26 years old) serving in the military during World War II. Pete Maravich wore 44. Here are seven amazing athletes besides LeBron James to wear that number. While we dont imagine a ton of baseball players clamoring to wear the No. Why hes here: Only Babe Ruth could have possibility overshadowed one of the greatest sluggers of all time. Honorable mentions: Steve Carlton, Roy Halladay. Hes second in career whiffs behind only Nolan Ryan, who played forever. Well Hendricks was both. Still, we cant deny the Minister of Defense. 10. With the Patriots, though, he won three MVPs and made 14 Pro Bowls. Foyt, Racing; Ernie Banks, MLB; Y.A. The best players for each uniform number - Over the Monster Why he's here: A two-time Cy Young winner who lead his league in ERA and strikeouts three times each, Santana was the clear choice here. Be it with Oklahoma City or Golden State, or even his one year in Seattle, Durant has worn No. However, we are of the belief that Messi, Barcelona and Argentinas legend, is the best of the bunch. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Honorable mentions: Jim Maloney, Burt Hooton. After all, he was named to the NFL All-Pro team for six straight seasons. Honorable mentions: Kershaw, Larry Walker, Luis Tiant. One of the greatest athletes ever, Usain Bolt is popular by the nickname 'Lightning Bolt'. 22 currently, but he isn't the only one sporting that number. He was also an incredible player, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP during his career. Brady and the No. Honorable mentions: Chipper Jones, Ron Santo, Andre Dawson. Utah Jazz ( 12) Cory Alexander. We wanted to take a panoramic look across the entire world of sports to find the best athlete to wear every number. So instead, were going with Theodore, who wore an odd number for a goalie. Ward is also famous for his vicious blocks, which isnt something every receiver is known to want to do. All rights reserved. Several of the greats share the same number (Looking at you, No. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. 2:07. The heart and soul of the Yankees dynasties of the '50s, Yogi Berra won three MVP awards and had a seven-year stretch during which he never finished lower than fourth in the voting. The NBA also has a rich history of players to rock the number with champions like Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Garnett, and Kyrie Irving all sporting the 2 on their backs. ESPN World Fame 100 - Top Ranking Athletes So we apologize to two greats of their respective footballs, John Elway and Cristiano Ronaldo. But Rice is the best receiver of all time to this day. Montana wore 19 when he moved from San Francisco to Kansas City, but he spent only two years with the Chiefs. He won two MVP awards and finished second four other times he won the AL triple crown in two of those second-place years and his career on-base percentage of .482 is No. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Why hes here: Rapid Robert had already struck out 466 major-league hitters before he turned 20 years old, thats why. Baseball players like Rickey Henderson, Roger Clemens, and Clayton Kershaw have all worn 22 in MLB at some point as well. See More by this Creator. For three straight years, he led the American League in strikeouts and FIP, and in two of those seasons he won the Cy Young as well. Who Is The Most Famous Athlete In The World Right Now? - Ranker And what other big-shot athletes have donned the numeral.". 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. 23 Quiz Stats - By schredder - Sporcle But thats OK. Brett was a wizard at the plate during a 21-year career he even led the AL in average (.329) and doubles (45) in his Age 37 season that garnered 13 All-Star nods, the 1980 AL MVP (when he hit .390) and the 1985 World Series title for Kansas City (he hit .370 against St. Louis in the series). Even then, though, Woodson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Why he's here: The recently retired Hunter earned five All-Star selections and nine Gold Gloves over his 19-year career. Years active: 1976-1995 A few excellent pass rushers wore 92, including Michael Strahan, who has the NFL record for most sacks in a season. So check out the list of athletes who wore 2 and help decide who deserves to rank the highest for wearing this iconic jersey number. Even though contracting HIV cut Magics career short, he played 11 full NBA seasons, making the All-Star Game in all those campaigns. Who was the best football player to wear No. Some may call this heresy. He played only nine games for the Red Sox and posted a 42 OPS+, but he also had one of the most memorable moments from. Peterson has more rushing yards anad rushing touchdowns, and he once ran for over 2,000 yards in a season. 8 with the Indians and White Sox, but it wasn't available in Baltimore due to a certain future Hall of Famer. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Also sorry to NASCAR fans who know that Jeff Gordon drove the 24 car during his sterling career. Enough said. He wore it when he scored 100 points in one game. Athletes who wore #34 Stats Can you name the Athletes who wore #34 on their Jersey? The franchise has retired Drysdales number after he spent 14 seasons in Dodger blue. Is this where to acknowledge Kobe? Why hes here: The Big Hurtwas one of the top right-handed hitters in history, leading the league in OPS four times and slugging 35 or more homer eight times. The Swede was the best offensive defenseman in the NHL, routinely racking up over 60 points. But the big stat is that Boston won 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons from 1956-57 to '68-69 with Russell in the lineup. Stats: 1455 games played, 20.3 points per game, 12.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, League: NBA Munoz played 13 seasons, and the only seasons he missed the Pro Bowl were his first and last. We are on a bit of a run of terrifying defensive linemen, but thats numbers in the 90s for you. Michael Jordan. While he never won a Cy Young, he finished second three times and led the National League in strikeouts twice. The Hall of Famer was an easy choice. Allen Iverson was a dynamic NBA player. We feel comfortable saying Gonzalez is the best tight end ever. 25. He was great, but hes not "the Admiral." Why he's here: The middle reliever is the only player in history to post a postive WAR while wearing No. Iconic NFL players with number 20 jerseys include Barry Sanders, Ed Reed, and Brian Dawkins, all Hall of Fame-level players whose career highlights are among the greatest moments in football history . Not only did he compile a 2.75 career ERA in the regular season, but the lefty had a 2.71 ERA in 22 World Series starts, and was a huge reason those Yankees teams won the championship six times. Trout has been clearly the best player in MLB since his second year in the majors. After checking out the photo gallery, readthe list of top athletes at every number. It's the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers.. Its not a beloved number, apparently. Dallas Mavericks ( 88, 90) Al-Farouq Aminu. Rivers has thrown for almost 400 career touchdowns and has made eight Pro Bowls. In Game 7 of the 1934 World Series, Dean threw nine shutout innings to help Gashouse Gang to the championship. > All Players To Wear Number 31. This was a tough one. When Don Larsen threw his perfect game in the '56 World Series, who do you think was behind the plate? In the News: Aaron Rodgers, Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, Allen Robinson, Jordan Love. The Neon legend was born in Tallahassee, where Sanders was a two-time consensus All-America, and a Jim Thorpe . Thats enough to outduel Larry Bird, much to the chagrin of Celtics fans. Not a lot of great choices here, but Stieb was a solid player. Most iconic NBA numbers: #34 - Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon | NBA News | Sky Sports Access NBA ID benefits League Leaders Team Stats Teams Players Live on Sky Most iconic. We can see why. 7 Incredible Athletes (Besides LeBron James) To Wear #23 Why he's here: No one else in MLB history has worn No. MLB Players Who Wore Number 60 | Baseball-Reference.com And while his two Super Bowl wins came with great supporting casts, he provided the signature moment of those wins. The competition was slim, so you could say Johnson lapped them all.

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