Great Athletes You Should Know About: Part 2
Here we go again: It's time to unveil 10 great athletes who you should know about.
Those who read the first edition already understand what they're in for. These are athletes who don't get nearly the recognition they deserve. Crossing all walks of life and each industry of sport, we've taken notice of 10 names who should absolutely be on your radar.
Per usual, this list was devised using statistics, potential and performance. Knowing the criteria, let's jump right in and get the ball rolling.
Finn Balor
1 of 10WWE's alternate brand, NXT, has become a place where professional wrestling fans can go to worship. NXT's commitment to independent wrestlers and progressive storylines is a fresh approach in a convoluted industry.
In a short period of time, we've seen plenty of NXT superstars like Kevin Owens and Cesaro make the leap to WWE. The next one up could be current NXT champion Finn Balor.
Balor is a dynamite performer; he transcends the sport because of vivacious gimmicks and a rich arsenal of moves. In a world where pro wrestling tends to recycle classic names, Balor is a refreshing change of pace.
Those looking for an alternative to John Cena or any of the other "big" WWE guys need to embrace the Balor movement. At this juncture, you have to figure that he's going to be the next big thing if the brass up at WWE headquarters decides to give him enough push.
Josh Rosen
2 of 10
UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen has been an important part of the Bruins' 2-0 start. Being a true freshman, Rosen definitely has a tough learning curve ahead of him.
But what he lacks in experience, he gains back in skill. Take UCLA's first game, for example: Against Virginia, he looked poised and confident running the offense. Working out of the shotgun formation, Rosen completed 80 percent of his passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns.
His second outing against UNLV wasn't as glamorous. Rosen completed just 52.2 percent of his passing attempts, piling up 223 yards through the air. His ratio of TDs to interceptions also shrank, throwing one of each.
There will be ups and downs, but that doesn't take away from the flashes of brilliance you see here. Rosen is an 18-year-old kid who resembles the future—a prototypical passer with great command of the ball. He's definitely a sports star worth watching this season and beyond.
A.J. Pollock
3 of 10
This season has been a good one for Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock. The 27-year-old is batting .312 with 17 home runs, 67 RBI and 35 stolen bases.
Peeping the salient WAR category—wins above replacement—Pollock has also been ultravaluable. He currently sits 13th in the MLB with a WAR of 6.3.
Watching Pollock play, you get the feeling he's going to be a superstar. Come to think of it, he already is. And in terms of recognition, Pollock has gone largely unnoticed. Maybe it's because he plays for the Diamondbacks, who have another piece of talent in Paul Goldschmidt.
Either way, here's your wake-up call: Pollock is the real deal.
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Guillermo Rigondeaux
4 of 10
Guillermo Rigondeaux is one of those fighters who dominates without getting national coverage. As a super bantamweight, he's in a class of his own.
Rigondeaux's unbeaten, 15-win career has been laced with quality opponents and supreme ring generalship. Displaying a beautiful technical skill set, Rigondeaux easily decimated Nonito Donaire in 2013—a man thought to be his greatest challenge.
The lack of genuine appreciation for Rigondeaux is hard to fathom. He's been at the pinnacle of his division for a few years running. It feels like no matter whom promoters stack up against him, "The Jackal" is able to emerge from the squared circle victorious.
Nikita Kucherov
5 of 10
Russian winger Nikita Kucherov is a fire-breathing ice dragon who nets pucks for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 2014-15 NHL season was his coming out party.
Kucherov got on his destructive grind last year, slamming 28 goals and 36 assists onto the stat sheet. His talent is apparent, and paired up with Steven Stamkos—another Lightning star—what you get is a scary combination of hockey ambassadors.
Age is a big part of why Kucherov goes unnoticed. Only 22 years old, he has a lot of excellent hockey in front of him. The absolute best part about his game is that the 2015-16 NHL season will be an indication of how good he can really be.
The maturation process should turn him into a superstar talent worthy of national coverage.
Nolan Arenado
6 of 10
The baseball world has finally taken notice of Nolan Arenado. Have you?
Arenado is your quintessential power hitter, and 2015 has been his breakout campaign. The 24-year-old has blasted 39 home runs and 111 RBI, which as of this writing are the second-best and best in the National League, respectively.
This guy reminds you of the days when Coors Field acted more like a two-seam launching pad than a baseball field. You know, the days when Todd Helton and Larry Walker were ambitiously swinging for the fences.
For his part, Arenado ranks 22nd in WAR with a mark of 5.16. That's a respectable total for an outright slugger.
Above everything else, he's really fun to watch, and that's what earned him a spot on this list.
Ameer Abdullah
7 of 10
The Detroit Lions needed a vigorous runner to help replace the loss of Reggie Bush last offseason. So they did the noble thing selecting former Nebraska Cornhuskers tailback Ameer Abdullah during the 2015 draft.
Abdullah is TNT in human form; when he touches the ball he makes things happen. He might be listed as the team's third-string running back, but that didn't stop Detroit's coaching staff from putting him to work in Week 1.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the rookie "touched the ball on 23.4% of the Lions' 47 offensive plays." Those totals resulted in 50 yards rushing, 44 yards receiving and a touchdown. Those numbers will grow when the team is forced to use him more.
Very few players in Detroit are as talented as Abdullah. That's why if you're going to, now is the time to hop on that bandwagon.
Michael Brantley
8 of 10
Michael Brantley has been criminally underrated for years now, and there's really no good reason why. The Cleveland Indians star has a .294 career batting average, and over the last two seasons, he's pushed that number well above the .300 mark.
Brantley isn't only an average hitter. He's actually more of an impact doubles kind of guy. Currently, his 45 doubles lead everyone in baseball. Add 15 home runs and 81 RBI into the mix, and you have yourselves an impactful player.
As the Indians improve, Brantley should become better. It's just a shame that it's taken this long for the 28-year-old to start to break down the barriers of perception.
Jason Verrett
9 of 10
You can't say enough about the job second-year cornerback Jason Verrett has done with the San Diego Chargers. With "big and tall" cornerback pandemonium emerging in recent years, the 5'10" Verrett has managed to make a name for himself.
He bottles up wide receivers and shows superior ball skills each time he's put out on the field. By Pro Football Focus' count, Verrett held opposing NFL quarterbacks to a 76.2 QB rating in 2014. He only played six games—which shrunk his sample size—but you could tell off the bat he was bound for stardom.
Verrett picked up right where he left off in Week 1 of the 2015 season, allowing one reception on four targets. He was a lockdown coverage machine.
Based on all we've seen, it's safe to assume that we are going to see a lot more of this moving forward.
Keith Thurman
10 of 10
Boxing fans who have seen Keith Thurman unleash combinations of leather onto dudes understand what he's about. The undefeated fighter has mountainous power that has resulted in 22 of his 26 foes being sent to the ground.
Thurman is on his way to becoming a superstar. He's 26 years old with plenty of big fights in his future. Unlike a Floyd Mayweather, Thurman is all about inflicting damage. He can outbox you, but don't get it twisted—his guy loves launching powerful combinations behind pressurized forms of offense.
There's not much left to say. Keith Thurman is a great athlete who everyone should know about.
All boxing records and information via BoxRec.com, unless noted otherwise. All stats and information provided by Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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