Most Likeable People in Sports
Some people in sports are just impossible not to like—or nearly impossible anyway.
Whether it’s good play, good coaching or good broadcasting, professional success is part of it. But personality, media presence and humility are also part of it.
J.J. Watt is an animal on the football field but a gentle giant in real life. Derek Jeter just received standing ovations at opposing ballparks all over the country. Vin Scully is one of the most beloved broadcasters of all time.
These sports figures are generally not too showy but simply go about their business with dignity. Some are loved for their extreme authenticity and talent. Just how beloved are they? Let’s find out.
Honorable Mention: LeBron James
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LeBron James gets an honorable mention because he's not exactly universally liked. But if you live in Cleveland, man do you like this guy.
So he abandoned the city and humiliated its fans with an overblown public announcement, so what? He came home, and somehow he miraculously went from the most hated man in Cleveland to the most loved.
Russell Wilson
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People love an underdog story. Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL draft. He is undersized for an NFL quarterback, and when he was drafted, no one expected that there would be much competition between him and Matt Flynn for the starting job.
As it turned out, there was. Wilson won the starting job handily and led that team to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. The very next season, he led it to a Super Bowl victory.
John Harbaugh
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Unlike his younger brother Jim, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is pretty much universally liked.
John always seems to say the right thing, supports his players and just conducts himself in a way people respond well to. When the two brothers met in the Super Bowl in 2013, John hilariously pranked his parents by posing as an anonymous caller on a radio show and asking if they really liked Jim better.
Jim, on the other hand, isn’t universally hated, but he’s certainly not as friendly with the media or with other coaches, for that matter. Rumors continue to fly about his worsening relationship with the San Francisco 49ers front office.
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Michelle Beadle
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Michelle Beadle is currently a co-host of ESPN's SportsNation. Her outgoing personality and sports knowledge have made her likeable to even the hardest-to-impress sports fans.
Not afraid to speak her mind, Beadle recently took to Twitter and rebutted Stephen A. Smith's controversial on-air statements regarding women and domestic violence.
She also destroyed some guy on Twitter for making comments about her weight. Go girl.
Buster Posey
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The baby-faced catcher for the San Francisco Giants comes off as shy and a bit reserved with a squeaky clean image.
He wowed baseball fans with a tremendously successful start to his young career. He won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2009 and the NL MVP just two years later. His .308/.374/.487 career line has helped the Giants reach three World Series in the last five years.
Regarding his interaction with young fans, the father of two once told Peter Crooks of Diablo Magazine, “I just try to be myself. Try to be gracious and take some time for them. And just be appreciative that I’m the focus of his or her excitement.”
Bill Simmons
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Some may think that Bill Simmons, a popular ESPN personality, is a bit controversial. After all, he did just finish up a suspension from the network for comments he made on his podcast about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
However, I would argue that his suspension only made the people that like him, like him more. Simmons is well known for his honesty and strong opinions. As the editor-in-chief of Grantland and concoctor of the ESPN Films: 30 for 30 idea, his work speaks for itself.
Fans appreciate a media personality who will speak his mind. Plus in his first podcast back from suspension, he took time to thank the fans for their support during his time away.
Tom Izzo
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Of the legendary college basketball coaches currently on the job—Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Roy Williams, Rick Pitino—Tom Izzo might be the most widely liked.
The Michigan State head coach has led the Spartans to six Final Four appearances and a national championship in his 20 years at the helm.
His raspy voice and sideline passion make him likeable, and his coaching skills and classy demeanor make him well respected among fans, media and colleagues. Plus, his Midnight Madness costumes are always fan favorites, and there was that one time he helped serve lunch to students during finals week.
Alex Morgan
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The U.S. Women's soccer star is America's sweetheart.
Alex Morgan burst onto the international scene in 2011, scoring two key goals in the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Since then, she has continued her success on the field, and her charm, charisma and good looks have made her one of America's most admired female athletes.
Pavel Datsyuk
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Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings has been playing in the NHL since 2001, and all those seasons have been with Detroit. The veteran is now an alternate captain. He has also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (for displaying "gentlemanly conduct") four times.
Datsyuk’s sense of humor has become legendary over the years. In 2013, he tweeted a thank you to fans in both Colorado and Phoenix for making his team “feel at home.” And Brian Stubits of CBSSports.com once said of Datsyuk, “Supreme skill, one of the funniest players in the league and is truly unique out there. ... Hardly anybody hates this guy except for fans who have irrational hate for all things Red Wings.”
Derrick Rose
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Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose has never been a show-boater, never been a big talker. From the time he came into the league, he just went about his business. A hometown hero, Rose grew up in Chicago, and he won an NBA MVP Award with the Bulls in 2011.
He has suffered setbacks due to injuries, but he looks to be recovering well and in position to help the Bulls have a successful 2014-15 season. Even those outside of Chicago have long been rooting for this young star to regain his full health.
Rose is a hard worker, and he keeps his nose to the grindstone. That’s something everyone can appreciate.
Lionel Messi
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Lionel Messi is one of the greatest soccer players in the world. He has won FIFA’s award for the best player of the year four times.
Off the field, he’s a social activist—he has his own foundation and was named a goodwill ambassador by UNICEF in 2010.
He displays a jovial spirit, and for one of the world’s best (if not the best) soccer players, he is surprisingly humble. In a 2012 interview with El País (via FCBarcelona.com), he said, “I’m more concerned with being a good person than being the best footballer in the world.”
Kansas City Royals
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The 2014 Kansas City Royals have been adopted as “America’s Team.” They have made the World Series (and playoffs in general) for the first time since 1985, and almost everyone outside the Bay Area is rooting for them.
From their underdog status to their gritty, small-ball brand of baseball, it’s safe to say the collective group of individuals associated with this team is well liked at the moment.
In particular, pitcher Brandon Finnegan responded to a special request from a fan on Twitter. One fan tweeted him, asking for ALCS tickets for him and his girlfriend. Finnegan obliged, leaving two tickets for the fan at will call.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. has long been one of NASCAR’s most liked drivers—no really, he’s won the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award 11 straight times.
Son of the late, legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr., Junior provides a link for older generations to the days of his father.
He’s charming with the media and active on Twitter, something fans always appreciate when they want to engage with their favorite athletes.
Peyton Manning
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Peyton Manning came back from a scary neck injury, was released by the only team he’d ever played for and redeemed himself by winning the 2013 NFL MVP Award.
He just broke Brett Favre’s record for most NFL touchdown passes ever.
He’s arguably one of the funniest athletes out there when it comes to hilarious commercials, and oh, he dances like no one cares.
Peyton Manning is very hard not to like.
Kevin Durant
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If you didn’t like Kevin Durant before his 2013-14 NBA MVP acceptance speech, you had to like him after. He spoke about each individual teammate and called his mom “The Real MVP” with tears in his eyes.
Overall, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward has been liked since he came into the NBA in 2007. His coach Scott Brooks told Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, “He's as authentic as anybody. What you see is what you get, and what you see is an amazing, amazing person.”
He has stayed with the same franchise throughout his career (the Seattle Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City, but still), and he has won fans over big time, but not just with his play on the court.
Following the 2009-10 NBA season, Durant could’ve tested the free-agent market, but he didn’t. He agreed to a five-year, maximum extension with the Thunder instead.
Robin Roberts
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Robin Roberts hosts Good Morning America nowadays, but she was with ESPN for 15 years.
Not only is she a talented news anchor, but she is also an inspirational individual. A cancer survivor, Roberts won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2013 ESPY's and gave a passionate acceptance speech.
Derek Jeter
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Though he has played his last game in New York Yankees pinstripes, Derek Jeter will forever be one of the most likeable figures in baseball—and his farewell tour only helped solidify that.
Jeter was cheered at almost every away stadium he visited during the 2014 season, and he received gifts and praise all along the way.
His trademark restraint with the media and penchant for spot-on responses has led to his almost complete avoidance of scandal over the years. Most people choose instead to focus on his baseball greatness, leadership and class.
Even rival Boston Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation during his last series at Fenway Park.
Vin Scully
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As far as broadcasters go, it doesn’t get much better than Vin Scully. The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster has been with the team since 1950.
He has called some of the most famous baseball moments in baseball history—including Don Larsen’s perfect game and Hank Aaron’s 715th home run—and he’s always done it with class and professionalism.
Scully was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009, and he’s thought of by many as one of the greatest sportscasters of all time.
J.J. Watt
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There is a lot to like about the Houston Texans defensive end.
On the field, J.J. Watt is one of the most ferocious defenders in the league—he even has a pick-six under his belt this year.
Off the field, he’s made us laugh in cameos on FXX’s The League and done all kinds of good deeds. Watt once heard that a little girl cried because she couldn’t marry him, so he found a way to pretend propose to her. He heard that a boy with cancer idolized him, so he made a surprise visit to the boy’s home.
Seriously, I dare you not to like J.J. Watt.
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