Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Tiger Woods: The Generation's Top Athlete?
The last 20 years have certainly been a tumultuous time in sports. A rash of performance-enhancing drugs has tainted the legacies of dozens of athletes in all sports who accomplished great things.
Since there are plenty of clean athletes who have dazzled in the last 20 years, this list will be comprised of players who have not faced credible allegations of steroid use.
The new millennium saw a handful of great athletes fade into the sunset and bore witness to the new generation of stars, hungry for success and eager to step into the spotlight.
In the interest of clarity, athletes are only eligible for the list providing they had their brightest moments in the last 20 years. Since Carl Lewis, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird did their best work in the 80's, they will not be included.
With those technicalities out of the way, here's a look at the 25 best athletes of the last 20 years.
No. 25: Allen Iverson
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Iverson will be remembered more for his antics than for his play on the court, but his achievements are truly legendary.
The Virginia native captured four scoring titles during his career and scored more points than any player listed at 6'0" or shorter than any other player in NBA history.
He was named MVP and helped lead an undermanned Philadelphia 76ers team to the NBA Finals in the 2000-01 season.
No. 24: Serena Williams
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With her blazing serve, bizarre fashion sense, and combination of power and grace, Serena Williams has taken Women's Tennis by storm.
No female professional athlete has won more in earnings than Williams, who has claimed 27 Grand Slam titles during her career.
No. 23: Michael Johnson
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The man with the golden shoes won four Gold Medals in Olympic competition and captured eight World Championship titles.
He remains the only athlete to take Gold in both the 200 and 400 meters in the same Olympics, a feat he accomplished in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.
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No. 22: Jerry Rice
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Widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time, Rice helped make Joe Montana and Steve Young famous.
Rice holds numerous NFL records, including an astounding 207 touchdown receptions.
No. 21: Steffi Graf
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Steffi Graf captured 22 Grand Slam Titles, including four in the same year on four different occasions. Her gracefulness and ability to succeed on all surfaces makes her arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time.
No. 20: David Beckham
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Known for his brilliance on the pitch and his image as a pop icon, David Beckham is the most transcendent soccer player since the legendary Pele.
Beckham won six Premier League Titles with Manchester United and was the captain of the English World Cup team for eight years.
No. 19: Usain Bolt
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No. 18: Tom Brady
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No. 17: Ken Griffey Jr.
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No. 16: Albert Pujols
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No. 15: Peyton Manning
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No. 14: Brett Favre
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If this was a list ranking the top-25 most annoying athletes of all time, Brett Favre would be at or near the top of the list.
However, it's impossible to overlook his 285 consecutive starts streak and his 497 career touchdown passes, both records that might never be broken.
His love for the game made (or makes) him a joy to watch.
No. 13: Roger Federer
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Federer is widely considered to be the greatest male tennis player off all time. His 16 Grand Slam titles remain a world record, as does his appearance in 22 total Grand Slam finals.
No. 12: Mario Lemieux
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Lemieux's career was plagued by injuries, otherwise it could have been even more successful.
His won three Hart Trophies during his 17-year NHL career, led the league in scoring six times, and remains the only player to win a Stanley Cup as both a player and owner.
No. 11: Lance Armstrong
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For the moment at least, Armstrong is still eligible for this list.
His dominance in the world of cycle will never be matched, and his continued success after recovering from cancer was truly admirable.
It's not hard to believe the accusations of doping that have yet to be substantiated. The increasing suspicion bumps him down the list a few spots.
No. 10: Michael Phelps
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Phelps took home eight Gold Medals in Beijing and has won a total of 14 throughout his Olympic career.
His record-setting performance in Beijing is not likely to be matched, which clearly merits his lofty spot in this ranking.
No. 9: Barry Sanders
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The tiny dynamo produced some of the most electrifying runs in NFL history while starring for the lowly Detroit Lions.
Sanders' decision to walk away from the game with the NFL's all-time rushing yardage record in reach left millions of fans disappointed and confused.
No. 8: Mike Tyson
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Boxing's most polarizing fighter, Tyson has transformed his image more times than Liz Taylor has gone under the knife.
Tyson was the youngest fighter to capture WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles before his career was derailed.
If only he wasn't so completely crazy.
No. 7: Deion Sanders
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"Primetime" will be remembered for being one of the best athletes to ever walk the face of the earth.
His production wasn't overly impressive from a statistical perspective, but that's because NFL teams would rarely throw his way.
Sanders also displayed his talents during his Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds, were he was an average hitter but a dynamic base runner.
No. 6: Shaquille O'Neal
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The Big Aristotle is putting himself in the category of guys who just didn't know when to stop.
But for the better part of 15 years, he was a dominant force on both ends of the court. His agility for his size and his rings secure him a spot in the top-10.
No. 5: Kobe Bryant
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No. 4: Wayne Gretzky
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No. 3: LeBron James
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No. 2: Tiger Woods
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No 1: Michael Jordan
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