Most Overrated 'Superstar' Careers of the 2000s (So Far)
What separates a great athlete from somebody who is considered a superstar?
It could be a matter of perception. Perhaps you only view an athlete as a superstar if he is featured in national advertising campaigns. Maybe an athlete has to be part of a championship team to reach superstar status in your eyes. Then again, the issue here could be that we overuse the word "superstar" when describing certain athletes.
Calvin Johnson was, during his tenure in the National Football League, a tremendous asset for the Detroit Lions. Was Johnson ever really the top wide receiver in the NFL? Does one solid postseason run with the New York Yankees make CC Sabathia a superstar?
Carmelo Anthony has never come close to being the best player in the National Basketball Association. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been more of a gem for marketers than he has been a player capable of leading a club to European glory. James Harden has never matched the accomplishments achieved by the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
In a world of 24-hour sports programming and social media, some have been too quick to label too many athletes as superstars. It is not a personal attack or criticism to say that a great athlete is not a superstar. Rather, doing so merely serves as a reminder that certain levels of praise should be handed out only to the cream of the crop.
There is, after all, only one most valuable player in a sports league per year.
David Wright
1 of 10
Fans of the New York Mets, this fan included, love David Wright. Wright is far and away the top superstar the Mets have produced in the 2000s, although at least one of the young guns in the team's current rotation may have something to say about that over the next decade or so. Wright has been with the Mets since 2004, and he has spent the majority of his career serving as the heart and soul of the club.
Wright also happens to be an overrated superstar, particularly among pockets of New York fans.
Wright has never been the best producer of offensive stats among those who played in New York during his career. He never led Major League Baseball in any one significant offensive category (h/t Baseball-Reference.com). While Wright won a pair of Gold Gloves during his physical prime, he has also led the league in errors committed by third basemen on two occasions.
Wright's postseason stats are hardly impressive. He has, to date, hit only two home runs in playoff games. Wright batted .160 in the 2006 National League Championship Series, and he hit .063 in last year's NL Division Series. In total, Wright has driven home 13 runs in five playoff series.
Nobody should wonder why Wright has been so popular among those who support the Mets. Along with being a consistent hitter for 10 years, Wright has also sacrificed his body, specifically his back, for the Mets. That somebody who will never come all that close to winning an MVP award or to accumulating 3,000 hits has been the best player for the Mets over the past 12 years says more about the team than about Wright's greatness.
Calvin Johnson
2 of 10
It is a little difficult to rate former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson was, during his playing days, a superstar talent and the best offensive weapon to play for the Lions during the 2000s. The former WR nicknamed Megatron also never played with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL (no disrespect meant to Matthew Stafford), and so we can only imagine what could have been had Johnson featured alongside Tom Brady or Peyton Manning for even one regular season.
As great as he was, Johnson can be considered to be an overrated superstar.
Johnson was the best WR in the game for only one season, when he led the NFL in receptions in 2012 (h/t Pro-Football-Reference.com). That was the only year, though, that Johnson had over 100 grabs for a season. The reason that is important to mention is that Johnson played during an era when NFL rules protected both QBs and WRs and made it so that offenses emphasized the passing game.
ESPN senior writer John Clayton touched on this when he wrote about Johnson's potential to be a first-ballot "lock" for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
"The passing numbers seen in the current era are staggering. Seven receivers caught more than 100 passes this season. It took Michael Irvin 12 years to catch 750 passes. Charlie Joiner caught 750 in 17 seasons. Johnson needed nine to get to 731, but some of the new, younger receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown and Julio Jones might be able to top 700-750 yards in eight. That's how the game is evolving.
"
Randy Moss and Tom Brady broke NFL records during their best season together. Terrell Owens was heroic when essentially playing on one foot for the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl XXXIX. Johnson never had that type of season or that one incredible moment other than a famous catch that wasn't a catch. That may not be Johnson's fault, but it does play a part in Johnson being an overrated superstar.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
3 of 10
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the perfect superstar for a social media era. Ibrahimovic is, to put it one way, a colorful character who has delighted fans around the world with overhead goals and other memorable tallies. The "#DareToZlatan" campaigns that ran on websites such as Twitter and Instagram were brilliant. Ibrahimovic, as Robin Bairner and John Baines of Goal.com explained in 2014, has buried dozens of goals in Champions League play.
Ibrahimovic has earned his superstar status, but he has also earned a distinction for being overrated.
Some forget, because his stint with the Spanish giants ended roughly six years ago, that Ibrahimovic was considered to be somewhat of a flop while with Barcelona (h/t DailyMail.co.uk). Yes, Ibrahimovic has been a goal-scoring machine for Paris Saint-Germain, but he also has not necessarily been playing against the best back lines in club football while with PSG.
Ibrahimovic had an opportunity to cement his legacy when he featured up top for Sweden in a World Cup play-in match vs. Portugal in 2013. The lengthy Swede was outdone by Cristiano Ronaldo (h/t TheGuardian.com). Gareth Bale, Neymar, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and so many others have produced historic moments while playing on the biggest stages of club football.
Ibrahimovic can not make such a claim.
Ibrahimovic is not a maestro with the ball as are Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar. He never starred for what was considered to be the best side in Europe. Ibrahimovic was, in his prime, a superstar entertainer, one who also happened to be an overrated footballer.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
James Harden
4 of 10
Were the NBA to hand out an award for the most overrated superstar of the 2000s, James Harden would, at the very least, be a leading candidate.
Harden deserves praise for being an outstanding playmaker with the ball. His step-back jumper, one that would have gotten Harden called for traveling every time years ago, is maybe the best you'll see. Harden gets to the foul line better than anybody else in the NBA (h/t Basketball-Reference.com), and he makes more free throws than any other player.
How Harden gets to the charity stripe, though, infuriates many.
It was in June 2012 when Ben Leibowitz of this very website wrote about Harden's reputation for being one of the biggest floppers in the NBA. That was roughly four years ago, and little has changed. Harden was accused of taking hideous and absurd dives as recently as this past spring (h/t SI.com).
Harden's knack for propelling his own body to the ground is only one reason why he is overrated. Imagine you were building your own dream team of NBA players. Would you pick Harden over LeBron James? Over Stephen Curry? Would you pick him for your starting five over Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant or Chris Paul?
Of course you wouldn't, and neither would MVP voters (h/t ESPN.com).
There may come a time when Harden is among the best overall players in the NBA. Harden is just 26 years old, after all. For now, though, Harden is an overrated product and a player who needs to do better to keep his feet during certain situations.
CC Sabathia
5 of 10
Even the thought that CC Sabathia could be overrated may sound downright ridiculous. Sabathia is a one-time Cy Young Award winner. He led MLB in wins twice during his early years with the New York Yankees (h/t Baseball-Reference.com), and the Yankees may not have won the World Series in 2009 had Sabathia not been the star of the team's rotation.
Sabathia also quickly became a financial burden for the Yankees.
It was in 2009 when the Yankees awarded Sabathia with a contract worth, per Spotrac, a total of $186 million. Sabathia was well worth the money from 2009-11, posting an overall regular-season record of 59-23. Since that time, though, Sabathia's productivity has decreased with each year. Sabathia's last winning season occurred in 2013 when he went 14-13.
Sabathia was never as dominant on a consistent basis as Clayton Kershaw has been for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Felix Hernandez, David Price, Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta and others all quickly eclipsed Sabathia in wins and in pitching talent.
Was Sabathia worth the money? That depends on how much value you place on one World Series ring and zero personal honors across seven straight seasons. What can be said is that Sabathia is not among the top 10 pitchers of the past 10 years, and that makes him worthy of being referred to as overrated.
Marshawn Lynch
6 of 10
NFL fans loved Marshawn Lynch. It is easy to understand why. Lynch enjoyed eating Skittles after scoring touchdowns and while on the sidelines during games. The running back tormented members of the media, and he famously showed up to press conferences "just so he didn't get fined." Lynch's "Beast Mode" run against the New Orleans Saints during a playoff game was reminiscent of a Bo Jackson carry in the old Tecmo Bowl video game.
Can we all admit, though, that some overrated Lynch during his career?
Lynch was a bruising running back who twice led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (h/t Pro-Football-Reference.com). With that said, Lynch more so had a couple of superstar seasons than he was an overall top superstar throughout the 2000s. One could go so far to make the argument that Lynch was a product of playing behind an outstanding offensive line during his best years with the Seattle Seahawks.
There are three specific moments in Lynch's career that stick out in the memories of casual football fans. The first is the previously mentioned "Beast Mode" run. Second on the list is Lynch's non-press conference during Super Bowl week. Last will forever be that time when the Seahawks didn't give the ball to Lynch at the 1-yard line against the New England Patriots late in a Super Bowl game.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports once joked that he was aware he would upset Seattle fans by suggesting that Lynch was somewhat overrated. Prisco probably just knew what other smart football minds of the time knew: Lynch was an entertaining figure and was a significant member of those winning Seattle teams, but Lynch was also overrated.
It is not as if Lynch was ever close to being the best RB in the NFL.
Steven Stamkos
7 of 10
The first athlete that may come to mind when you think of Steven Stamkos could be Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Both Stamkos and Luck were advertised to be special players before they became pros. Both have flashed hints that they could be two of the top athletes in their sports.
Both have also failed to take that figurative next step needed to be seen as greats of their games.
This is not to say that Stamkos is not a phenomenal talent. Stamkos is, as described by Adam Gretz of CBS Sports, the second-best goal scorer of his generation and also the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has led the NHL in goals twice during his career (h/t Hockey-Reference.com), and he happens to be one of the top power-play threats in the league.
What has been noticeable about Stamkos' career during the spring of 2016 is that the Lightning haven't missed him at all.
Stamkos has been sidelined because of a blood clot issue that could mean the end of his playing days in Tampa Bay if he moves on from the club during the upcoming offseason. The Lightning, meanwhile, breezed past the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders in the postseason. Tampa Bay has thus far only lost twice during the playoffs.
Would the Washington Capitals have been able to take the Pittsburgh Penguins to six games during the playoffs had they entered that series knowing Alex Ovechkin wouldn't be an option? Maybe, but doubtful. Say whatever you will about Sidney Crosby's lack of production against Washington, but he draws the attention of opposing players whenever he steps onto the ice, and his presence offers a calming factor for teammates.
Stamkos is only 26 years old. It may feel as if he should be older because he has been in the league since 2008. Stamkos' best days could very well be ahead of him. Maybe, though, Stamkos' absence has shown that some overrated what he meant to this particular Lightning squad.
Wayne Rooney
8 of 10
We've gotten to the point with Wayne Rooney where it is actually a hot take to say that he is not overrated.
Rooney seemed to be destined for greatness after he made the move from Everton to Manchester United. The forward was a back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year winner (h/t ThePFA.com), and Rooney went on to win the PFA Player of the Year award a single time. Rooney was featured on the covers of seven straight editions of FIFA video games (h/t DailyMail.co.uk). He has struck several memorable highlight-reel goals, such as his bicycle kick wonder against Manchester City in 2011.
What happened?
For starters, Rooney seemingly peaked when in his mid-20s. Think of other PFA Player of the Year winners. John Terry became a mainstay of the Chelsea back line. Thierry Henry achieved multiple noteworthy achievements across several countries. Cristiano Ronaldo became one of the best footballers in the history of the sport. Gareth Bale has buried match-winning goals in Copa del Rey and Champions League finals.
The harsh reality with Rooney is that he was a superstar in name only, somebody who became well-known because he was English and he scored goals for Manchester United and for the England national team. That's all well and good, but, as the Telegraph explained, Rooney was never in the same class as a Henry or a Ronaldo:
"Let’s face it, if Rooney was as good as many in this country think he is, he’d have been snapped up by a Real Madrid or a Barcelona. The former Everton striker has definitely had his moments, and it cannot be ignored that he is England's record international goal-scorer. But his poor goal return in major tournaments for England, coupled with just the one Champions League win, illustrate why he can’t be considered one of the game’s true greats.
"
Carmelo Anthony
9 of 10
It may be hard for some to understand, but I actually somewhat feel sorry for Carmelo Anthony. Anthony entered the NBA at the same time as did Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and some guy named LeBron James. Odds were that one of those players was going to go an entire career without winning a title and without leaving a lasting legacy among fans.
Let's examine the careers of all four of those men.
James is universally regarded as one of the greatest NBA players in history. He is a four-time MVP (h/t Basketball-Reference.com) and a two-time NBA champion.
Wade is a three-time NBA champion who has repeatedly sacrificed his body for the good of the Miami Heat. Wade won two of those titles alongside both James and Bosh. Bosh, meanwhile, remains one of the best draft picks ever made by the Toronto Raptors.
What is it that first comes to mind when you think of Anthony?
Nothing about Anthony's time with the Denver Nuggets sticks out for a casual fan. Sure, Anthony made several All-Star teams before he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2011 (h/t Basketball-Reference.com). He was never an MVP during those years.
Anthony, to steal a description used by New York radio icon Mike Francesa, is a stats compiler. The best example of this comes from the 2013-14 NBA season. Anthony, per Basketball-Reference.com, scored over 2100 points that season, second to only Kevin Durant. Anthony also led the NBA in missed field goals that year.
Let's say, for argument's sake, that Anthony were to retire today. We would recall that Anthony never met a shot that he didn't like, and that Anthony could occasionally produce monster offensive nights. We would also remember that the crowning achievement of Anthony's career occurred during his one and only year at Syracuse.
Philip Rivers
10 of 10
Philip Rivers may, when all is said and done, be the greatest quarterback in the history of the San Diego Chargers. Rivers has, over the years, set and/or broken numerous team records (h/t Chargers.com). His 21 comeback victories are, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com, good for seventh among active QBs as of May.
As good as Rivers has been, he has never taken that next step that put him at the same level as contemporaries such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
Rivers has never, in his career, been perceived to be the best overall QB in the NFL. Think back to the 2015 NFL campaign. Rivers led the NFL in passes completed, he was second in the league in passing yards and he threw 31 touchdowns. Did anybody out there consider Rivers to be as valuable as Cam Newton? Would any general manager out there have picked Rivers over Tom Brady to be on his roster last fall?
Or course not.
The one thing noticeably missing from Rivers' resume is a career-defining moment. Eli Manning has notched a pair of game-winning drives in Super Bowl games. Peyton Manning defeated Tom Brady in three conference championship games. Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees have all hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Rivers may never win a Super Bowl. He has not, heading into the 2016 NFL season, ever won a conference title. Rivers has yet to be named league MVP.
Has Rivers had a tremendous career? Absolutely. Was he ever truly worthy of being known as a superstar?
Absolutely not.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
