5 Athletes Who Totally Redeemed Themselves

There is no set definition for an athlete finding his or her slice of redemption. Overcoming injuries, returning from suspensions, battling addiction and other elements are all part of the process.

Life is often overshadowed by sports, but athletes are still human beings, and human beings make mistakes.

By exploring the world of redemption, we were able to find five names who totally redeemed themselves. From the hardwood to the gridiron, these people have all found solace within their professional careers.

Ricky Williams

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Ricky Williams' football career was bizarre yet beautiful. It started when the New Orleans Saints essentially traded their entire draft away to move up and select Williams fifth overall in 1999.

After three seasons with the Saints, Williams wound up in Miami. He would turn into arguably the NFL's premier halfback, rushing for 1,853 yards during his first season with the team.

But all of those constant 1,000-yard rushing seasons—four straight with the Saints and Dolphins—came to a sudden end. Williams retired in 2004.

When he came back in 2005, No. 34 experienced a roller-coaster ride of a career. He was suspended in 2006 for violating the league's substance abuse policy and struggled to find his footing.

A few years later, he finally got back doing what he did best: rushing for big chunks of yardage.

Williams plugged away, totaling 1,121 yards in 2009. He followed that up with two impressive seasons as a backup runner. The redemption story was now complete.

LeBron James

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Redemption comes in many forms. In the case of LeBron James, his return-to-glory moment arrived when he left Miami and returned home to Cleveland in 2014.

James was vilified for his showy decision to bail on the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. The entire process of announcing his decision on live television was a horrid way to go about one's business, as Jon Greenberg of ESPN.com touched on. 

But a return trip back to Cleveland changed everything. James took the Cavs back to the NBA Finals last season and now has the team slugging away in the big dance once again.

Whether the Cavs win an NBA title or not, King James still came back to his throne and won the world over—as this now-famous Nike commercial showcased in 2014.

Josh Hamilton

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Josh Hamilton's MLB career has been a remarkable journey of ups, downs and everything you can possibly imagine stuffed in between.

The Texas Rangers slugger was the former No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 MLB draft (by the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays)

Instead of thriving, Hamilton struggled with addiction from the jump, wrecking his MLB career in the process. 

Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times dove deep into Hamilton's early life when he was with the Los Angeles Angels in 2013. "It was Oct. 1, 2005, and Hamilton was a ghost of the player who would become a five-time All-Star and 2010 American League Most Valuable Player with the Texas Rangers," DiGiovanna wrote.

Redemption was written in those words. Hamilton would get clean, put his life back together and go on to enjoy a successful career in the big leagues.

Knee injuries have recently derailed the 35-year-old—including an ACL injury this season. Whether he comes back strong or decides to step away from the game, his redemption tale is a satisfying one that fans of the sport and people across the world can relate to.

Shaun Livingston

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A catastrophic knee injury almost turned the lights out on Shaun Livingston's promising young NBA career.

When he was drafted in 2004, Livingston was a 6'7", do-it-all high school point guard. The Los Angeles Clippers jumped at the chance to nab him with the No. 4 overall selection.

"Livingston, who worked out Sunday for the Clippers in El Segundo, has been identified by the club as one of the top three point guards in the draft," Jerry Crowe wrote for the Los Angeles Times before the choice was made.

He was evolving as a player when a 2007 knee injury—a gut-wrenching, stomach-churning injury—nearly wrecked his life.

Jonathan Abrams' profile on Grantland exhibited his tireless journey back to prominence. And as we stand here today, Livingston has carved out a solid career with the Golden State Warriors, serving as a defensive stalwart and key role player.

Redemption tales like Livingston's are few and far between. It's amazing to see how far he's come since that brutal night in Los Angeles.

David Beckham

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David Beckham's soccer career almost faltered back in 1998. Playing for England's national team at the time, Beckham was sent off the pitch after receiving a red card against Argentina.

England would go on to lose that game, turning his ejection into a critical moment.

It was so significant that Beckham himself considers it one of the top moments of his career, per Freddie Campion of GQ. "Many, including the team's manager, pinned the loss on Beckham's inability to control his temper. For months he was vilified by both the media and the general public," Campion wrote.

Beckham would find a special brand of redemption when he was named captain of the English team in 2000. He would also go on to rip a pivotal free kick in 2001, qualifying England for the 2002 World Cup in the process.

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