100 Awesome Pictures of Pro Athletes as Rookies

Pro athletes like LeBron James, Sidney Crosby and Bryce Harper are rare phenomenons. Most athletes don't have the combination of raw physical talent and instincts to seamlessly make the transition into the pros and immediately contribute.

Aspiring pro athletes certainly have talent, but for most, the first half of their career is about development and proving their value to a team.

For those veteran stars who survived the process and went on to have a Hall of Fame career, or a career somewhere in between bust and glory, those rookie moments frozen in time can be quite revealing. Perhaps a glint of genuine fear in their eyes belie the swagger.

Or maybe the rookie photo of a man or woman whose path has taken them down darker roads than expected reminds us of the sense of hope and renewal their budding career presented. 

These are 100 awesome pictures of sports stars as rookies.

James Harden, Houston Rockets

Rookie Year: 2009-10

Verdict: Can't blame a guy for taking the conservative approach as a rookie before busting out his signature beard/mohawk look.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Rookie Year: 2006

Verdict: If you handed me a folder filled with unlabeled head shots of Verlander from his rookie season to an hour ago, I'd do a terrible job arranging them by age—and I bet you would too.

Brett Keisel, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rookie Year: 2002

Verdict: Da' Beard is yet to be born, while the hair on Keisel's head is a wee bit fuller.

Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Rookie Year: 2003-04

Verdict: His Allen Iverson-esque hair has gone away in favor of a more Dwight Howard-ish facade.

Natalie Gulbis, LPGA

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: Natalie Gulbis' consistency on the course, as well as her youth and warm personality, has defined her pro career from the start. She's always been pretty easy on the eyes, too.

Brenden Morrow, Pittsburgh Penguins

Rookie Year: 1999-00

Verdict: To earn his reputation as a physical, opportunistic presence around an opponent's net, Morrow had to sacrifice this adorable face.

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

Rookie Year: 2007-08

Verdict: Some things never change—they just get tied into a bun.

Brian Wilson, MLB Free Agent

Rookie Year: 2006

Verdict: No jet black beard and no crazy look in his eyes. Mr. Wilson actually looks, dare I say, normal. 

Matt Hasselbeck, Indianapolis Colts

Rookie Year: 1999

Verdict: Many teams—and much more hair—ago, this was Matt Hasselbeck.

Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

Rookie Year: 2002-03

Verdict: Zetterberg, like the Detroit Red Wings, doesn't deviate from the tried and true.

Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks

Rookie Year: 2002-03

Verdict: Stoudemire has become a more ripped, goggle-wearing version of the aspiring star you see here.

Jeff Gordon, NASCAR

Rookie Year: 1992

Verdict: Rainbows and mustaches are awesome; Jeff Gordon should dump his contemporary, stylish facade for this retro look.

Ed Reed, Houston Texans

Rookie Year: 2002

Verdict: All the younger Reed is missing is the ragged beard the current version has taken, with his talents, to Houston. 

Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins

Rookie Year: 1997-98

Verdict: Chara was a physical, checking beast from the start, but it's obvious that he has worked to become one of the NHL's most intimidating defensemen.

Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

Rookie Year: 2008

Verdict: Bold and beautiful; then and now.

Josh Beckett, Los Angeles Dodgers

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: A thousand-yard stare, which belies the lackadaisical clubhouse demeanor of more recent years.

Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons

Rookie Year: 1997

Verdict: In his 16 seasons of All-Pro-worthy play, athletes and owners have come and gone, but Gonzalez has clearly found (and drank from) the Fountain of Youth.

Heather Mitts, US Women's Soccer (Recently Retired)

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: The Olympian and sports bombshell has always been hot, but this is a reminder she is a soccer player first.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

Rookie Year: 2003-04

Verdict: Wade definitely has that youthful smirk and slender physique that's ever so fleeting in our young adult days. Now he's all muscles and scowls. 

Maxime Talbot, Philadelphia Flyers

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: Honestly, when you have Talbot's goofy combination of a Fu Manchu and tussled—sometimes slicked-back—hair, it's hard to see much change in his appearance (with the exception of the fact that he's a frickin' Flyer now). 

Brian Urlacher, NFL Free Agent

Rookie Year: 2000

Verdict: The only thing that's changed about Brian Urlacher is that he's no longer in a Bears uniform.

Lionel Messi, Barcelona FC

Rookie Year: 2004-05

Verdict: Since donning shaggy locks and a boyish face, Messi has taken on more close-cut, but rugged style more aligned with his dominance on the pitch.

Kevin Youkilis, New York Yankees

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: Kevin Youkilis without his trademark mustache/goatee resembles his current clean-cut Yankee look.

Serena Williams, US Women's Tennis

Rookie Year: 1995

Verdict: A young Serena Williams is clearly ready for the spotlight—an attribute that has served her well as one of the best women's tennis players in the world today.

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: It's clearly Dirk, but the shaggy, slightly awkward German we know and love began his long career with a clean-cut look. 

Henrik and Daniel Sedin

Rookie Year: 2000-01

Verdict: Somehow, the NHL's most famous pair of twin, ginger superstars look even creepier in their youth.

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

Rookie Year: 2006

Verdict: Marshall really doesn't look much different—in fact, two of three teams he's played for wear blue and orange—but after getting help for mental health issues, he certainly seems happier today.

Natalie Coughlin, US Women's Swimming

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: Natalie Coughlin's "rookie" year was really just the starting line for a career filled with championships, medals and other accolades.

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rookie Year: 2004

 

Verdict: Since this moment was captured, nine NFL seasons, two Super Bowl wins, legal issues and a motorcycle face-plant have had a noticeable impact on Big Ben's mug.

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: Add a dash of five'o'clock-shadow-verging-on-full-blown-beardedness and you've got yourself a 2013 makeover.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

Rookie Year: 1998

Verdict: The clean-shaven, Halladay sports an even more Phil Simms-ian face.

Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres

Rookie Year: 2002-03

Verdict: Sabres goalie Ryan Miller got hot at the end of a disappointing season for the team after feeling the heat from fans and media earlier. Despite the ups and downs, he's kept the same bright smile over the last decade.

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Rookie Year: 2003-04

Verdict: "King James" hasn't changed at all (minus an assist from the headband).

Maria Sharapova, Women's Tennis

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: Combining stunning beauty with legit skills as a pro tennis player, Sharapova was a star on and off the court from the beginning.

Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

Rookie Year: 2005

Verdict: Smooth-topped today, Gore—like his production on the field—is the model of consistency.

Chris Kaman, Dallas Mavericks

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: This is the kind of look that an NBA player grows into—sketchy goatee and a mop-like mess of hair—but Kaman entered the league with it and has kept it going.

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: Ovechkin is someone who looks custom-designed to play hockey; those guys never really change, they just lose a few teeth.

Michael Phelps, US Swimmer

Date: 2000

Verdict: Now that the preternatural Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time, it's compelling to see him as the 15-year-old kid aspiring to be what he would eventually would turn into. 

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Rookie Year: 1997

Verdict: Cool and amiable, but deadly effective; Duncan's quietly impressive career in a nutshell.

Ronda Rousey, MMA

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: When Ronda Rousey qualified for the Olympics as a member of the US women's judo team, she was a few years away from transforming into a UFC hottie who can kick your butt; in the manner/style of your choosing.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Rookie Year: 2000

Verdict: Hmmm. Has anything changed about Tom Brady? I wonder if this kid ever made it.

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: Over the years, Cabrera has taken on the look of that awesome "uncle" (yet, not related to anyone in the family) who shows up at every family barbeque and is always the loudest—and funniest—guy in the room.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Rookie Year: 1998

Verdict: I can say this with absolute confidence: The Peyton Manning of 2013 would have never allowed himself to suffer this indignity.

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Rookie Year: 2001-02

Verdict: The Spurs must have a Gatorade cooler filled with a flavor called Vampire because no one on the team seems to age.

Danica Patrick, NASCAR

Rookie Year: 2005

Verdict: Danica Patrick's career as one of the few women pro racers—and the most successful—has been so closely followed over the past seven years that it's easy to forget that she was once a polarizing IndyCar driver.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: At this point, it's tough to imagine Brees in any uniform but the Saints', but he in fact did get Tebow'd by Philip Rivers with the Chargers; but the man looks exactly the same.

Chris Andersen, Miami Heat

Rookie Year: 1999-2000

Verdict: Whoa. Andersen has clearly gone on a personal journey of tatted, punk rock discovery—or time-traveled back to 1985 to work as a roadie for The Exploited.

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Rookie Year: 2007-08

Verdict: Not much has changed for the young phenom, with the exception of his franchise's location and push toward greatness.

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: Sid has endured multiple concussions and a puck to the face, yet managed to keep that beautiful mug intact—let's keep it that way, rest-of-the-NHL! 

Andrew Bynum, Philadelphia 76ers

Rookie Year: 2006-07

Verdict: In 2006, who knew that Bynum would go on to unleash the amazing powers of awesomely weird hair—from a real-time before/after look to a hair-style reminiscent of the "goombas" from Super Mario Bros. 

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: Despite still being a slim, kind of awkward looking guy off the ice, Lecavalier has definitely added bulk over the years.

Asante Samuel, Atlanta Falcons

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: I'm fairly certain the Eagles and Falcons just photoshopped their jerseys onto Samuel's official rookie portrait with the Patriots.

Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks

Rookie Year: 1997-98

Verdict: A little more bearded today, but overall, the puck-sniping winger hasn't changed too much.

Venus Williams, US Women's Tennis

Rookie Year: 1994

Verdict: Venus Williams is far from looking like the strong force of women's pro tennis that she and her sister grew into, but it didn't take long for her to play like one.

Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Ducks

Rookie Year: 1992-93

Verdict: Considering the sheer longevity of his career, it's remarkable that Selanne doesn't look more weathered by the decades of hockey—it must be the ice.

Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: A little thicker in some places, but the left fielder has held steady.

Jason Terry, Boston Celtics

Rookie Year: 1999-2000

Verdict: Terry definitely has the look of a 14-year NBA veteran, but where's the signature headband?

Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks

Rookie Year: 1997-98

Verdict: Thornton quickly lost the clean-cut, blonde-surfer look and assumed the menacing lumberjack identity Sharks fans now enjoy.

Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: By 2013, Williams evolved into a guy who could just easily pass for a hip history professor—bespectacled and elegantly dressed, but with an underlying rebellious streak.

David Wright, New York Mets

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: David Wright has and will continue to look the part of the quintessential clubhouse captain and all-around solid player.

Lolo Jones, US Track and Field

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: Lolo Jones was a stunning athletic specimen in 2004 and has simply taken it to the next level since. Her existence alone shaves a point off the collective self-esteem of womankind. Hell, she makes men feel a little worse about themselves too.

Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils

Rookie Year: 2001-02

Verdict: Kovalchuk is a little older now, but the man hasn't strayed far from the rookie pictured above. I'd be reluctant to say he looks like 101 million bucks, though.

Tiger Woods, PGA

Rookie Year: 1996

Verdict: When this photo was taken, Tiger was "destined for greatness," and while a few bumps in the road have convoluted the path, he's largely delivered. Tiger was, and will always be, the consummate pro.

Adam Dunn, White Sox

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: Since his rookie year, Dunn has gotten a little more bristly, puffy and mullety. It’s an organic process.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs

Rookie Year: 2002-03

Verdict: Ginobli has gone from an unassuming Argentine with a full head of hair to a poorly-cloned version of the Texans' Matt Schaub.

John Terry, Chelsea

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: The Chelsea defender is currently looking to extend his contract, but if a footballer's value was determined by how well they age, then Terry is in great shape.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: Bosh basically looks like he decided to use a taupe room with matching taupe chair for a 2013 photo shoot—but this is from 2003. His hair got real a season or two later.

Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks

Rookie Year: 1999

Verdict: Like many prospects taken in the NHL Entry Draft, Luongo is—and looks like—a veritable kid. He's definitely changed over the years, as nature intended.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., Boxing

Rookie Year: 1996

Verdict: Not much has changed physically, but the high-rolling agitator he's become makes everyone view him much differently today. 

Wes Welker, Denver Broncos

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: It's no surprise that "Tom Brady's favorite target" appears frozen in time; I imagine Brady expects no less. Now that Welker is with the Broncos, without the Brady magic, I'm afraid he's going to shrivel up like a time-lapse photo of a wilting rose.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

Rookie Year: 1995

Verdict: Considering how strange it's going to feel the first time there's an MLB season without Mariano Rivera, it's no surprise the future Hall of Famer appears almost unchanged from his rookie debut.

Anderson Silva, MMA

Rookie Year: 1997

Verdict: Widely regarded as the best fighter in MMA history, Silva hasn't changed much over they years, save for a set of pearly whites to replace what used to be a gap-toothed grin. 

Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Rookie Year: 2001-02

Verdict: As the hilarious and insightful Louis CK said in his recent comedy special—and I'm paraphrasing here—most of the young guys (like Datsyuk) who were kind of weird-looking in high school grew into solid middle-aged dudes...all the Ken's and Barbie's had nowhere to go but down.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

Rookie Year: 1998

Verdict: The nickname "Big Papi" has befit the slugger since the beginning—and only gotten more relevant with each passing year.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

Rookie Year: 2003-04

Verdict: Ronaldo was well on his way to pioneering his bronzed, Ed Hardy-wearing club-it-up facade.

Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: The faded quality of this shot is a fantastic indicator of how long the veteran point guard's career has spanned. 

Jim Thome, MLB Free Agent

Rookie Year: 1991

Verdict: Somehow, Thome at 21 looks the same as the 42-year-old who's winding down a long, great career—minus the extra baggage. 

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Rookie Year: 2005-06

Verdict: For us ladies, Lundqvist is the fine wine of active NHL players.

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers

Rookie Year: 2003

Verdict: Gates basically redefined the role of the tight end in a passing offense—largely due to his freakish athletic skill set—and though he may be in the twilight of his career, the man still looks the part.

Hope Solo, US Soccer

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: Shedding the blond hair, the brunette Hope Solo's roots now match her demeanor.

Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Rookie Year: 1995

Verdict: Derek Jeter is Amazon stock—he made you rich in the '90s, but while all the others were boom or bust, he keeps paying dividends.

Wayne Rooney, Manchester United

Rookie Year: 2002-03

Verdict: In his youth, Rooney already looked like a charming, but ill-tempered kid you didn’t want to bump into outside of a pub. After being extruded through over a decade of hard-living, he looks like a dude you don’t want to bump into anywhere.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: Man. The guy must sleep in a cryogenic chamber at night. I'm assuming Paul Pierce is going to play basketball until the sun explodes.

Nick Mangold, New York Jets

Rookie Year: 2006

Verdict: From then to now, Mangold dialed up the grizzle-factor from a seven to 11.

Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: Pujols is bigger and broader these days, but there’s no mistaking who this is.

Albert Haynesworth, NFL Free Agent

Rookie Year: 2002

Verdict: Long before Haynesworth was a multimillion dollar headache for the Washington Redskins, he was a promising young defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans. 

Ronaldinho, Atletico Mineiro

Rookie Year: 1998-99

Verdict: The best way to describe how Ronaldinho looks today, versus this pic: Larry Fitzgerald meets Kenny G.

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

Rookie Year: 1991-92

Verdict: He's been an NHL fixture for nearly two decades, so a baby-faced Brodeur is a jarring image. 

Manny Pacquiao, Boxing

Rookie Year: 1995

Verdict: Manny is one of the premier superstars of boxing and a reason the sport can become relevant again—he looks like a kid who can pummel you in this image, but now he's a man in the spotlight capable of destroying you.

Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia Flyers

Rookie Year: 2000-01

Verdict: Hartnell's face and hair are in the incubation stage of their later, full-blown ginger glory.

Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm

Rookie Year: 2001

Verdict: Since the 2001 WNBA draft, a deceptively meek Jackson has developed into a bad ass, blonde, sexy Amazon woman.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

Rookie Year: 1994

Verdict: From an aesthetic perspective, little has changed about A-Rod. However, his failures in the postseason and scandals make a lot of fans see a payroll-eating minotaur. 

John Daly, PGA

Rookie Year: 1987

Verdict: The young Daly looks like the son of the 2013 version—if the mother kind of looked like John Daly, too. The mullet is still going strong.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Rookie Year: 1996-97

Verdict: An undeniable talent when he was drafted, Kobe lived up to the billing—the teenager in this pic doesn't have the aura of intense focus of the Bryant who's won five championships, but the uniform and face are timeless.

Kyle Busch, NASCAR

Rookie Year: 2004

Verdict: Busch kind of looks like a mola mola; and that's something unaffected by time and space.

Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

Rookie Year: 1998

Verdict: Beltre has moved on to different teams over his career, but maintained the same half-smile and Denzel Washington-esque look.

Jaromir Jagr, Boston Bruins

Rookie Year: 1990-91

Verdict: Jagr is a future Hall of Famer near or at the end of his long career, but one more year—even if he's scratched in almost every game—would be worth it if he sported this beautiful mullet once again.

A.J. Pierzynski, Texas Rangers

Rookie Year: 1998

Verdict: Slap on a little tuft of chin-hair, perhaps a bleached mop-top, and you’ve got yourself the current incarnation of Pierzynski.

David Beckham, Paris Saint-Germain

Rookie Year: 1993-94

Verdict: This photo of the young, teen Beckham proves that the handsome footballer has likely created a generation of female fans who've held their love interests to an absurd standard.

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

Rookie Year: 1995-96

Verdict: It's rare to see the intense, aging NBA veteran appear so goofy.