Started from the Bottom: Bench Guys Who Became Stars

As an athlete, it has to be difficult being told that you're not going to begin your career in a starting role, which would give you ample opportunities to prove yourself.

While some guys take it as a defeat, others take it as a challenging opportunity. They work even harder to overtake an incumbent starter and prove that they're every bit as skilled—if not more.

So here's to you, former bench players. Rather than pout about not seeing your name in the starting lineup every day, you dug deep to not only make it there but become an absolute star once you did.

Goran Dragic

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One of the last picks in the 2008 NBA draft, current Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic has transformed his game since returning to the Valley of the Sun for a second stint with the team.

While serving as a decent role player in his first few years, Dragic never settled into a role, struggling to find minutes and looking for a permanent home.

Since coming back to the Suns prior to the 2012-13 season, Dragic has started all but one game he has appeared in, a far cry from the 36 he had in his first four years combined.

A borderline All-Star, his numbers aren't what they were last season, but he still has his team on the cusp of the playoffs again.

Philip Rivers

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After being taken behind Eli Manning and before Ben Roethlisberger with the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL draft, San Diego Chargers signal-caller Philip Rivers found himself in a serious quarterback competition prior to his rookie season.

While Rivers was a high draft pick, incumbent starter Drew Brees wasn't ready to relinquish the grip he had on the role under center.

After Brees beat out Rivers for the starting nod, the rookie attempted just 30 passes in his first two seasons, not taking over the huddle for good until 2006 when Brees left via free agency.

When he did, he held firm to the position, going 14-2 in his first full season as the starter and making the Pro Bowl. He has cemented himself as one of the best passers of the past decade.

Jimmy Butler

It has been quite the journey for the Chicago Bulls' Jimmy Butler.

In case you haven't been paying attention, he has broken out in a big way thus far in 2014-15, averaging 21.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists while also playing superb defense on the opposition's best wing player.

After playing a ton of minutes over the past two seasons and falling into a nice supporting role, Butler has elevated his game and is even being mentioned as a legit MVP candidate. He stepped up as former league MVP teammate Derrick Rose has battled injuries all year.

That's not bad for a guy who was taken as the last pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft and started just 20 games his first two seasons combined.

J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones

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You've probably heard it before, but, let's be honest: Few college football teams out there could make a national title game with a third-string quarterback.

Yet, that's what the Ohio State Buckeyes have done so far in 2014.

Thanks to the talents of both J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones—with Barrett replacing an injured Braxton Miller before giving way to Jones following his own injury—the Buckeyes are in position to win the first ever College Football Playoff.

Entering the season, all the talk was about Miller and his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy. Since then, both Barrett and Jones have stolen the spotlight and are forcing head coach Urban Meyer to make a difficult decision for whom to start in 2015.

Chris Osgood

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Entering the league in the 1991 season as the 54th overall selection by the Detroit Red Wings, former Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Chris Osgood wasn't the top choice to man the net for the Wings early in his career.

Not actually starting his first NHL game until the 1993-94 season, Osgood didn't become the primary starter until 1995-96, as he paid his dues as the backup and, in one case, the fourth-stringer.

Once he took the reins, though, Osgood showed his worth, winning a total of 401 games in his 17-year career—good for 10th on the all-time NHL list—while winning two Stanley Cup titles.

Manu Ginobili

In the history of the NBA, few bench players have meant more to their team than Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs has.

In his 13 years in the Association, the Argentine has averaged 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists while doing the little things that it takes for the team to win.

One of those small things that can't be overlooked is his acceptance of being the sixth man; he has pushed aside his ego and accomplishments to do what is best for the team.

With two trips to the an All-Star Game and four world titles, Ginobili has shown that even full-time bench players can become future Hall of Famers.

Kurt Warner

It's like the American dream.

While it's always unfortunate to see a teammate go down with an injury—as St. Louis starter Trent Green did during the preseason in 1999—it was the opportunity that Kurt Warner, then the team's backup needed.

Getting his first NFL start at the age of 28, Warner proved that he had all the goods, displaying a quick release that no one expected from a former stock man in a grocery store and leading The Greatest Show on Turf to explosive records.

Winning the Super Bowl and league MVP in his first season at the helm, Warner enjoyed numerous seasons of success and has put himself in position to earn a place among the best players in league history with a Hall of Fame nod.

James Harden

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One of the most prolific scorers in the NBA right now, Houston Rockets All-Star James Harden has come a long way from when he first started his pro career.

Sure, Harden was the third overall selection in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but that didn't mean he was going to instantly join the starting lineup alongside other young stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

In fact, prior to joining Houston following a trade in 2012, Harden had only started seven career games.

After winning Sixth Man of the Year for the 2011-12 season, Harden took the most of his opportunity once he did get starters minutes. He has put himself in the MVP discussion since, averaging 26 points per game for the Rockets in his two-plus seasons.

Aaron Rodgers

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With one league MVP and a Super Bowl title already on his resume, Green Bay Packers superstar Aaron Rodgers has shown that he might just be the best quarterback in the league.

Of course, it didn't start that way for him.

After slipping in the 2005 NFL draft, A-Rod wasn't selected until the 24th pick—he had been talked about as a potential No. 1 choice—which forced him to sit behind future Hall of Famer Brett Favre in Green Bay.

Sitting behind a legend can't be easy, and while Rodgers and Favre had some tense moments in the three seasons together, when the team turned the offense over to No. 12 for good, he proved to be ready.

In his first season under center full-time, Rodgers tossed 28 touchdowns and threw for over 4,000 yards, eventually winning his first ring in his second season at the helm.

Brett Favre

Speaking of Brett Favre, the future Hall of Famer actually had a bit of a similarity with the aforementioned Aaron Rodgers when his career first began.

Coming into the league in 1991 out of Southern Mississippi, Favre attempted just four passes in his first season while serving as backup on the Atlanta Falcons, riding the pine with no opportunity to start in sight.

Traded to the Green Bay Packers prior to the 1992 season, the gunslinger flourished when he did get named the starter. He won three straight league MVPs from 1995 to 1997 and eventually played in two Super Bowls, winning one.

Breaking a ton of different passing marks during his career, Favre showed that just one opportunity can go a long way.

Jose Bautista

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Toronto Blue Jays' five-time All-Star Jose Bautista might be known as Joey Bats these days, but it took a long time for him to earn the nickname.

Playing for four different teams from 2004 to 2008, once he moved north of the border to Toronto for good in '08, Bautista turned the corner and showed flashes of the player he is today.

Since 2010, he has jacked 187 home runs and finished in the top six of league MVP voting three times, proving he is one of the most lethal offensive players in the game right now.

It may have taken him until 29 years of age to reach his full potential, but it has been on full display since.

Jeremy Lin

No, Jeremy Lin didn't turn into a superstar or, at this point, proven himself to be a future Hall of Famer. But he did capture the hearts of hoops fans everywhere with a superb run back in 2012 with the New York Knicks.

After being overlooked coming out of Harvard in 2010, Lin bounced around to a few different teams before pushing his way into the starting lineup in the Big Apple, mainly due to injuries to other guys.

It was then that the entire city came down with Linsanity fever, as the point guard played out of his mind to help the Knicks stay in the postseason picture.

His breakout performances led to a big deal from the Houston Rockets in 2013, showing that dreams do, in fact, come true—even if he hasn't maintained the same level of play since.

Steve Young

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When the San Francisco 49ers acquired former quarterback Steve Young from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987, everyone knew there was going to be a full-on controversy with incumbent starter Joe Montana.

At that time, Montana was still Joe Cool, leading the Niners to Super Bowl appearances and showing why he was a future Hall of Famer.

For that reason, it took Young until 1991 to get the starting nod in San Francisco—only because Montana got hurt.

Starting all 16 games for the first time in his career in 1992, Young led his team to a 14-2 finish, giving the franchise the faith to end Montana's career in the Bay Area.

Winning his first Super Bowl as a starter during the 1994 season—his third overall, though—Young proved why he would end up in Canton alongside his former teammate.

Lou Gehrig

Considered to be one of the best players in baseball, former New York Yankee Lou Gehrig didn't immediately make the impact that many remember him for.

While he was still just 20 and 21 years old, Gehrig only saw 42 plate appearances in his first couple of seasons in the bigs, as he was stuck on the bench on a deep Yankees roster.

It wasn't until an injury to Wally Pipp that The Iron Horse earned a starting role. He belted 20 homers in that first year as a regular in the lineup and won his first league MVP three seasons later.

Gehrig went on to hit 493 career homers, claim two league MVPs and win six World Series rings. He also delivered a retirement speech that is considered one of the most poignant ever.

Tom Brady

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Tom Brady's story is both well-documented and fairytale-like.

After he dropped into the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, it took an unfortunate injury to incumbent starter and beloved New England Patriot Drew Bledsoe for Brady to crack the starting lineup in 2001.

Leading his Pats to a surprising Super Bowl victory in his first year as the starter, Brady was able to repeat the feat in two of the next three seasons, placing his name in the conversation as not only the best quarterback of his generation, but possibly the greatest to ever play.

No one would have expected that from a guy who only had three pass attempts in his first NFL season and was stuck behind a former Pro Bowler in Bledsoe.