The 20 Most Loaded Superstar Teams in History

Superstar teams often define the very nature of sports. Not everyone can be an underdog. Sometimes we have to bow down and appreciate greatness when it bursts through the television screen and slaps us across the face.

There have been a significant number of these teams to surface over the course of sports and no genre or league has been spared. Certain groups have realized immense degrees of success, while others have failed to reach the promise land. 

The mission behind this article is to explore 20 of the most loaded superstar teams across professional sports—not collegiate—to ever be assembled. Basing our calculations off talent and talent alone, it’s important to note championships aren’t a qualifying factor here.

With all of that in mind, here now are those teams.

Honorable Mentions

ANDREW J. COHOON/Associated Press

Twenty slides do not in any way, shape or form cover all the loaded teams we've seen in sports. Inserting an honorable mentions slide into this article was warranted for that reason alone.

Before we jump into things, let's explore a handful of teams that were left to fend for themselves on the editing-room floor.

• 2006 San Diego Chargers
• 2010-11 Chicago Blackhawks
• 2014-15 Real Madrid
• 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers
• 1998 New York Yankees
• 2013-14 Los Angeles Clippers
• 2001-02 Sacramento Kings
• 1985 Chicago Bears
• 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs
• 1998 Minnesota Vikings
• 2007-08 Boston Celtics
• 2007 New England Patriots
• 1999 St. Louis Rams
• 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins
• 1971 Dallas Cowboys
• 2015 Denver Broncos
• 2005-06 Miami Heat
• 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

2012-13 Miami Heat

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Big Three has become a nickname synonymous with success during the NBA’s free-agency era. We’ve seen our fair share of Big Three groupings ranging from Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics to the Miami Heat team members we’re about to discuss.

It was Miami’s Big Three who changed everything.

LeBron James leaving Cleveland to join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in South Beach came across as Pat Riley building the equivalent of Enron in the NBA.

The Heat drew attention, played in four straight NBA Finals—winning two—and ruled the Eastern Conference with an iron fist. For all their efforts, they finished as the No. 11-ranked team in NBA history, according to Elo ratings (h/t Nate Silver and Reuben Fischer-Baum of FiveThirtyEight).

Whenever you have the best player in the world flanked by two superstars and the sharpshooting Ray Allen, talent rarely becomes an issue. The 2012-13 Miami Heat will forever live on as one of the most loaded teams in sports history.

Real Madrid Galacticos

FERNANDO LLANO/Associated Press

If the overlords who run the world’s dictionaries ever decide to define a loaded sports team, Real Madrid’s Galacticos era could be used as a cover photo.

La Liga clubs building mega teams isn’t a new concept. We’ve seen Real Madrid and Barcelona spend small fortunes attaining talent over the years.

However, around 2000, Real Madrid's insanely ambitious Galacticos era began. This was a time period when the club featured the likes of David Beckham, Walter Samuel, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

It was a time when the world's best came to Madrid with the hopes of winning championships and changing soccer.

They achieved both of those goals.

After winning the UEFA Champions League in 2001-02—the only time they'd win that trophy—the team was able to stake a claim on big spending. Though the remaining Galacticos years were disappointing, it turned Madrid into the "richest club in the world," per Rob Smyth of the Guardian.

2001-2002 Detroit Red Wings

JOHN F. MARTIN/Associated Press

Superstar teams like the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings are hard to come by. You can point to the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s or the Montreal Canadiens during the ‘70s as teams on par from a sheer talent standpoint as these Red Wings.

The Red Wings' roster was a staggering collection of talent representing the NHL's past and future. Stalwarts like Chris Chelios, Dominik Hasek, Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Fedorov, Brett Hull, Nicklas Lidstrom, Luc Robitaille, Brendan Shanahan and more all patrolled the ice.

Head coach Scotty Bowman put those names to work, finishing with 51 wins and 116 points during the regular season before claiming the 2001-02 Stanley Cup over the Carolina Hurricanes.

In hockey’s modern era, it’s tough to compare anyone to those Detroit Red Wings. History shines a positive light on all of their accomplishments, as Sean McIndoe of Grantland discussed.

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

BETH A. KEISER/Associated Press

The pursuit of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record-setting 72-win season came crashing down this past year thanks to the Golden State Warriors. Even so, it took nearly 20 years to topple that achievement.

Even without the record, the 1995-96 Bulls remain one of the most loaded teams in sports history. Led by Michael Jordan, they danced through the NBA on their way to the club's fourth championship since 1991.

The roster was full of rotational pieces and superstars. Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen receive the nostalgic, dominant vibes—rightfully so. But forgetting signature pieces like Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc and Ron Harper would be tragic.

This team was built with superstars and role players. Today it remains a perfect example of how to craft a championship team.

1995 Dallas Cowboys

Joseph Patronite/Getty Images

The criterion for making this list is talent. In that vein, the 1995 Dallas Cowboys belong here from now until the end of time.

Jerry Jones' Cowboys were a team crafted around superstars like Troy Aikman helming the quarterback position, Emmitt Smith lining up at tailback and Michael Irvin showcasing at wide receiver. Those three Hall of Famers alone would be enough to fulfill any roster.

But the thing about the Cowboys is that they didn't stop there. Luring Deion Sanders over from the San Francisco 49ers was enough to push Dallas over the edge. 

Head coach Barry Switzer and his crew of rowdy playmakers went 12-4, won Super Bowl XXX and did it all with star power and charisma. It was a true testament to the Cowboy way.

1976-77 Montreal Canadiens

Associated Press

A strong case could be made that the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens were the greatest assemblage of talent in sports history. Ken Campbell of the Hockey News even called them "the standard by which all other great teams in the NHL will continue to be measured."

Led by Scotty Bowman—yes, the same powerhouse coach who guided the 2002 Detroit Red Wings to a Stanley Cup—these Canadiens were right in the thick of the club’s dynastic ways.

Nine Hall of Famers were a part of this roster—not counting Bowman. It was a group, a band, a clique of epic proportions that tore down barriers with its play.

The 1976-77 Canadiens went 60-8-12, registering 132 points in the process, which remains an NHL record. Behind a Hall of Fame-laden roster, dominant regular season and a Stanley Cup trophy, this Canadiens team was propelled into a stratosphere of excellence.

1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

To be fair, all of the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers teams in the 1980s were comprised of superstars. But the 1986-87, NBA title-winning club must be put on a mantle, high above the rest.

Houston Mitchell of the Los Angeles Times noted that this Lakers’ squad belongs in the conversation for being the absolute cream of the crop.

This was a team hell-bent on revenge. After failing to reach the NBA Finals the season before—despite notching 65 wins—the Lakers forced their way back into the postseason and eventually, the NBA Finals.

Behind a collection of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper and A.C. Green, they defeated the Boston Celtics in six games to reclaim gold.

These Lakers won a ton of games and did it all with a layer of California swagger. That my friends is what superstar teams are all about.

1927 New York Yankees

Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

The 1927 New York Yankees, or as they’re commonly known, Murderers’ Row, was one of the first teams to be lined with superstars.

Power hitting courtesy of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Mark Koenig and Bob Meusel set this team apart from the rest of baseball.

This club went on to win 110 games behind Ruth’s 60 home runs and Gehrig’s 173 RBI. They ended the 1927 season with a 4-0 World Series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

An argument could be made for including almost any Yankees team on this list. Time has been good to this franchise.

But there’s something about Murderers’ Row that supersedes the rest. They turned out to be a dynamic bunch, brimming with iconic stars both on and off the field.

1989 San Francisco 49ers

John Gaps III/Associated Press

"The 1989 team featured the 49ers offense at the peak of its powers," Mike Sando of ESPN.com penned.

It's easy to see why this platoon is considered the greatest collection of San Francisco 49ers to ever take the field. A 14-2 record, Super Bowl victory and a roster comprised of superstars conformed to create a recipe for immortality.

Whenever Joe Montana is brought into a conversation, you know the team is destined for greatness. Montana's brilliance was sort of like the main course. However, people get hungry. That's where Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Roger Craig and John Taylor came in. They were the appetizers.

For how great the 49ers offense was—the team finished the year ranked No. 1 in points per game—the Niners defense was just as good.

With Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley and Pierce Holt around, this unit allowed 253 points throughout 1989—a total that was good enough to place them No. 3 in all of football.

Superstars placed all over the field were simply part of the 49ers' fabric in the 1980s. No time in franchise history can stack up to those Camelot years.

1985-86 Boston Celtics

Ron Koch/Getty Images

The constant tug of war for supremacy in the NBA back in the 1980s came down mainly to the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. Between the Celtics and Lakers, both clubs combined for eight titles during that decade—three of which Boston claimed.

These dueling dynasties created a handful of landmark series built around contenders juiced with superstars and excellent coaching.

The 1985-86 Celtics represented a team at the peak of its powers, winning an NBA title after going 67-15 amid the turmoil of the regular season.

It came down to defense. For all the brilliant offensive accolades Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge brought with them, the Celtics finished the regular season holding opponents to an average of 101.2 points per game, according to Basketball-Reference.com.

Superstars were scattered all over this roster, including the injury-ridden but outstanding center Bill Walton. From top to bottom, few Celtics teams have ever been packed with as much talent.

2014-15 Barcelona

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Barcelona's ability to play beautiful soccer has been apparent ever since the club's inception. So naming the greatest roster in history is more of an act of futility than of anything else.

Turning our attention to superstar clubs, the 2014-15 roster floats toward the top of the list. Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez hog all the attention, considering they formed a trio of doom on the pitch.

The creativity displayed between all three men, changed the complexion of Barcelona forever, as Francesc Tomas of ESPN FC mentioned.

Success was abundant for this team. It won the UEFA Champions League, Copa Del Ray and La Liga title. Considering how competitive the world of soccer can be, it doesn't get any better than that.

2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

We've already reached a conclusion that, as a franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers have continuously experimented with superstar rosters over time.

Between the Showtime Lakers and the compelling 2000-01 team Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant led, we could talk about L.A. forever.

It's because of those powerhouses, people tend to forget about another Los Angeles super team: the 2003-04 Lakers.

With O'Neal and Bryant entrenched as anchors, Lakers management decided to sign veterans Karl Malone and Gary Payton to help usher in another NBA title. It was a bold move that took a lot of financial maneuvering—like Malone opting to lose $17.7 million in salary—in order to work.

Malone and Payton weren't in their primes. The Mailman was 40 years old, while Payton was 35. Age aside, they were still productive, Hall of Fame assets.

This Lakers team would go on to win 56 games, finishing first in the Western Conference. They'd reach the NBA Finals before being obliterated by the Detroit Pistons in five games.

Failure to win a championship doesn't mean this roster should be forgotten. Having Bryant, Malone, O'Neal and Payton on the court is a ridiculous feat.

1979 Pittsburgh Steelers

Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Chuck Noll's Super Bowl-winning 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers were nothing more than a continuation of prior Steeler teams. Behind a roster oozing with Hall of Fame athletes and a sustainable level of toughness rarely seen in sports, nothing could stop them.

Terry Bradshaw manned the hatch as the team's fearless quarterback. With Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth manning their respective offensive positions, Bradshaw's job was always a little bit easier.

Defensively these Steelers never let up either thanks to Mel Blount, Jack Lambert and Co. patrolling the field.

It's rare to piece together such an in-depth, multifaceted, star-studded wrecking crew for such an extended period of time. Noll's Steelers managed to do just that, paving the way for the NFL to create a compelling documentary honoring their Herculean efforts.

1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Our continuation of naming Los Angeles Laker teams chock-full of talent leads us to the 1971-72 season.

That was when the Lakers defied logic, winning 33 games in a row. Head coach Bill Sharman was so proud of the accomplishment he changed his license plate to read "33STR8," per Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times.

Times were great, and an immense level of talent was there to back it up. Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Gail Goodrich led the way, while Elgin Baylor played nine games before parting ways with the team, which Dave McKenna of Grantland wrote about.

The Lakers went on to win their first NBA title that season, stamping history books with their purple and gold seal of dominance.

1983-84 Edmonton Oilers

Richard Drew/Associated Press

The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky, blossomed in front of the world, turning countless players into superstars.

Compiling a roster with so many riveting playmakers is a rarity in sports. Somehow, the Oilers accomplished that with Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson.

Winning came easy and often. The Oilers finished that season with 57 wins and 119 total points, capturing a Stanley Cup trophy after performing a 4-1 beatdown of the New York Islanders.

Gretzky played for a lot of fantastic clubs over his NHL career. Few were as loaded with talent as the 1983-84 Oilers, and because of that, Colin Fleming of Sports Illustrated argued they could very well be the "greatest NHL team" ever assembled.

2015-16 Golden State Warriors

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson coming together in order to shoot the lights out are like Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan forming the "Mega Powers."

Behind those two gunners and Draymond Green, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors' homegrown roster has become a superstar squadron.

These Warriors haven't done much besides win an NBA-best 73 games, set the record for most three-point shots made in a single season—thanks, Steph Curry—and look like the team to beat since day one of the 2015-16 season.

With Curry notching his second MVP award, per Marc Stein of ESPN.com, there's no need to sugarcoat it any more: These Warriors are worthy of all the superstar praise you can throw at them.

1976 Cincinnati Reds

Associated Press

You can't construct a list of this magnitude without talking about the 1976 Cincinnati Reds— a team ranked No. 23 all time, according to Elo ratings (h/t Reuben Fischer-Baum of FiveThirtyEight).

Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez belted home runs, drove in runs and turned an average sports city in the middle of the country into the Big Red Machine.

This club churned out 102 wins and then went on to sweep the New York Yankees during the '76 World Series. Life was good for the Reds. And with three Hall of Fame players on the roster—and one who needs to be there named Pete Rose—there weren't many flaws to be had.

2015-16 San Antonio Spurs

Layne Murdoch/Getty Images

You could slug just about any San Antonio Spurs team from 1999 on, and this list would look great. But from a sheer vantage point of superstars, the 2015-16 team belongs.

The three core names that made the Spurs famous—Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan—remain intact, despite all of them being past the prime of their careers. Where this team started to exceed previous ones—strictly speaking on the topic of superstars—was the addition of LaMarcus Aldridge and the continued development of Kawhi Leonard.

This was a roster fueled by superstars, excellent coaching and teamwork.

1962 Green Bay Packers

Associated Press

Aaron Rodgers' and Brett Favre's success in Green Bay often puts Bart Starr's greatness in the rearview mirror.

Digging back into the Packers' vault brings an appreciation for Starr to the forefront. His Hall of Fame career and the great teams he anchored were what helped set this franchise apart from countless other NFL commodities. 

Starr's 1962 Packers reached the pinnacle of stardom. With Vince Lombardi in control of the sidelines, they went 13-1 and were slammed full of Hall of Famers like Paul Hornung, Jim Ringo, Ray Nitschke and Willie Davis.

Not surprisingly, they went on to win an NFL championship, beating the 12-2 New York Giants by a final tally of 16-7.

It's no wonder Martin Hendricks at the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel mentioned them in a conversation about the "greatest Packers team" of all time. Before superstar teams were commonplace, the 1962 Packers reigned supreme.

2006 New York Yankees

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

We talked about adding countless New York Yankees teams. And to be fair, any of them could be placed here. Besides the 1927 squad, the 2006 Yankees defined what it meant to be armed to the T with superstar-caliber players.

The lineup remains a telling narrative for how this team spent armored trucks full of cash in order to sign marquee talent. Pitching alone featured Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Chien-Ming Wang—who won 19 games that year.

As strong as that was, it was all about the bats. Jorge Posada, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui were all present at one point or another. The starting lineup became too small to accommodate so many pungent offensive players.

To show how stacked they were, Ronald Blum of the Washington Post called the '06 Yanks a "modern-day version of Murderers' Row."

Regular-season success turned into 97 wins. The postseason wasn't as pretty considering the Detroit Tigers bounced this club in the first round.

Wins and losses pushed aside for a moment, this '06 Yankees team was completely loaded from top to bottom.

All stats and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.