Best Clutch Players in Sports Right Now

If there's one thing that every athlete wants, it's the ball in his hands when the game is on the line and the hopes of teammates and fans rests on his shoulders.

It's moments like this where some players show they have that clutch gene, while others falter and wilt under the pressure.

For those who have something special inside of them and deliver on the biggest stage when it matters the most, here's to you, because it's where legacies are made.

These are the best clutch players in sports right now.

Tony Parker

One of the things that often gets lost in the shuffle of the remarkable playoff run put on by the San Antonio Spurs is the insane play of point guard Tony Parker.

While Parker has won four NBA titles and made six All-Star Games in his career, his clutch gene is often overlooked—but ask any team who has been on the wrong side of game-winners in playoff games, and it'll tell you what it's like when TP is on.

Parker is no longer the force he was several years ago, but of the remaining point guards in this year's NBA playoffs not named Stephen Curry, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have running an offense in the last five minutes of a game.

Patrick Kane

Netting five career overtime goals in the postseason—tying him for third on the all-time list—Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane has shown that he's the most clutch player on the ice right now.

Kane, who has won three Stanley Cup titles and a Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff performance in 2013, is a lethal playmaker who is capable of either scoring himself or setting up one of his teammates, showing that he can handle the pressure in the toughest moments.

Although his Blackhawks ended up getting bounced in this year's playoffs, Kane helped extend the series by scoring a double-overtime goal in Game 5 to continue to show why he's so clutch.

Russell Wilson

It's hard to believe that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson completed only his fourth season in the NFL, isn't it? That's because Danger Russ has put together a remarkable run that has included postseason berths in each of those seasons, two Super Bowl trips and one championship ring.

What Wilson has is unmatched among his 20-something peers, as he combines passion, leadership and talent to lead his Seahawks to victories.

According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Wilson has staged 13 fourth-quarter comebacks, an NFL record, and 18 game-winning drives since taking over the reins to the franchise, including numerous victories in playoff games—such as the one against the Minnesota Vikings in frigid conditions this past postseason.

It might not always be pretty, but Russell Wilson will find a way to win.

Henrik Lundqvist

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Don't let New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist's latest postseason display make you forget about how brilliant the guy has been over the course of his career during the playoffs.

While his Rangers got bounced by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round this year, Lundqvist has been a dominant force between the pipes before when the going gets tough—even though his career postseason record is a paltry 55-59 with a solid 2.28 GAA in 103 starts.

Lundqvist flashed what he could do during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs when, in the semifinals against the Pens, he saved 102 of 105 shots during a three-game stretch and, at one point, won five straight Game 7s.

Yeah, this is the guy any team would want in the net with the game on the line.

David Ortiz

There was a time when current Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz wasn't looked at as anything more than another name on the lineup card. Boy has Big Papi changed that over the years thanks to his Hall of Fame-like numbers.

What Ortiz has accomplished since joining the Sox in 2003 is nothing short of remarkable, as he sits tied for seventh on the all-time MLB postseason home run list with 17, while also sitting No. 9 in most runs scored in playoff history.

Oh, and let's not forget about Papi delivering on some of the most clutch hits anyone has every seen, putting him in the conversation as the best MLB playoff performer ever thanks to timely hitting during the runs to his three World Series titles.

Stephen Curry

The most lethal and fearless shooter in NBA history, reigning league MVP Stephen Curry has absolute ice in his veins when it comes to hitting big shots.

Seemingly taking joy in crippling opposing players and fans, Curry is the baby-faced assassin no one wants to see with the ball in the waning seconds, as he's prone to pull up from anywhere on the floor and hit shots that should be reserved for games of H-O-R-S-E.

Even if Curry's having one of those unfathomable poor shooting nights, if the game's close toward the end, never count the guy out, because he lives for those moments.

LeBron James

The aforementioned Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors may have gotten the best of LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in last season's NBA Finals, but there wasn't a more dominating player throughout the entire series than King James.

While Curry is, arguably, the most feared player in the league with the ball in his hands as time is ticking down, LeBron is the most dominant, capable of bullying his way to the rim for a high-percentage shot or setting up a teammate once he draws opposing defenders toward him.

James caught heat early in his career for not being clutch and incapable of winning the big game, but he has matured in instances where his team needs him the most, and he's come through in impressive fashion.

It's LeBron's ability to put an entire team and city on his back in clutch moments that's most impressive, as he welcomes the pressure.

Madison Bumgarner

If there's one game for my favorite baseball team to win, I'm choosing San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner to take the ball, dominate the mound and confuse opposing batters—and that's because he's a proven commodity.

One of the most reliable and filthiest pitchers in MLB playoff history over the years, Bumgarner has the confidence to win on the grandest stage.

Want more proof? How about the numbers five and 0.25? Those are the number of wins—with zero losses—along with his ERA during his three trips to the World Series with San Fran, which includes his remarkable relief performance that single-handedly won the Giants their third title in five seasons in 2014.

With a career postseason record of 7-3 with a 2.14 ERA, there's no doubt that the guy likes to pitch when his team needs him the most.

Novak Djokovic

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Very few human beings on the planet know what it's like to perform on the level that tennis superstar Novak Djokovic does on a regular basis. That's because the 11-time Grand Slam singles champ has been tearing up the ATP Tour with ease and grace ever since he won his first Australian Open in 2008.

Djoko has surpassed any challenger for the King of Tennis label, as he's reached 17 straight Grand Slam Finals—no, that's not a typo—compiling a 92-5 record during that span.

Nothing is more intense than the opportunity to win a major championship, yet Novak Djokovic always seems to perform at the highest level when he gets his opportunity.

Tom Brady

Say what you will about New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, but one thing's clear: The guy is an absolute winner.

With four Super Bowl rings in his six appearances in the Big Game, Brady always puts his Pats in position to win games, showing that there isn't a moment too big for him late in a contest.

The impressive thing is that coming up in the clutch has been Brady's M.O. since he entered the NFL, as he sits second in league history with 37 fourth-quarter comebacks in his career.

Even at age 38, if there's one quarterback most fans want with the ball in his hands to make the big play, it's Tom Brady.