| Athlete |
Nation(s) |
Sport(s) |
Era |
Notes |
|
Michelle Akers
|
 USA |
FBL |
1996 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Lance Armstrong
|
USA |
CRD |
1992—2000 |
Seven-time Tour de France winner, 2002 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Bill Baker
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Roger Bannister
|
 GBR |
ATH |
1952 |
First sub-four-minute mile, 1954 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Bonnie Blair
|
USA |
SSK |
1984—1994 |
Multiple Olympic speed skating gold medalist, 1994 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Neal Broten
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Judi Brown
|
USA |
ATH |
1984 |
Helped abused children, 1987 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Brandi Chastain
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Dave Christian
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Steve Christoff
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Cassius Clay
|
USA |
BOX |
1960 |
World heavyweight champion, 1974 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Jim Craig
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mary Decker-Slaney
|
USA |
ATH |
1984—1996 |
Double world champion, 1983 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mike Eruzione
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Chris Evert
|
USA |
TEN |
1988 |
Multiple Grand Slam titles, 1976 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Joy Fawcett
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Julie Foudy
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Wayne Gretzky
|
 CAN |
IHO |
1998—2000 |
NHL MVP, Art Ross, 1982 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mia Hamm
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
John Harrington
|
USA |
IHO |
1980—1984 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Pat Head
|
USA |
BKB/Coach |
1976—1984 |
1976 USA Basketball Silver Medal and Co-Captain, 2011 Sports Illustrated Sportswomen of the Year |
|
LeBron James
|
USA |
BKB |
2004—2012 |
NBA star, 2008-12 USA Basketball Gold Medals, 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Ingemar Johansson
|
 SWE |
BOX |
1952 |
World heavyweight champion, 1959 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mark Johnson
|
USA |
Coach/IHO |
1980—2010 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Rafer Johnson
|
USA |
ATH |
1956—1960 |
Decathlon world record, 1958 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Kip Keino
|
 KEN |
ATH/IOC/NOCK |
1964—2017 |
Cared for orphaned children, 1987 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Johann Olav Koss
|
 NOR |
IOC/SSK |
1992—2001 |
Triple Olympic speed skating gold medalist, 1994 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Sugar Ray Leonard
|
USA |
BOX |
1976 |
World welterweight champion, 1981 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Kristine Lilly
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Jerry Lucas
|
USA |
BKB |
1960 |
Final Four MVP, 1961 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Shannon MacMillan
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Rob McClanahan
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Tiffeny Milbrett
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2000 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Bobby Joe Morrow
|
USA |
ATH |
1956 |
Triple Olympic gold medalist, 1956 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Ken Morrow
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Edwin Moses
|
USA |
ATH |
1976—1988 |
Olympic gold medalist, 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Jack O'Callahan
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Carla Overbeck
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2000 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Cindy Parlow
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mark Pavelich
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Christie Pearce-Rampone
|
USA |
FBL |
2000—2012 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Michael Phelps
|
USA |
SWM |
2000—2016 |
Eight Gold Medals in 2008 Olympic Games, 2008 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mike Ramsey
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mary Lou Retton
|
USA |
GAR |
1984 |
Olympic gold medalist, 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Tiffany Roberts
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Bill Russell
|
USA |
BKB |
1956 |
NBA champion player-coach, 1968 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Jim Ryun
|
USA |
ATH |
1964—1972 |
Mile world record, 1966 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Buzz Schneider
|
USA |
IHO |
1976—1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Briana Scurry
|
USA |
FBL |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Dave Silk
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Kate Sobrero-Markgraf
|
USA |
FBL |
2000—2008 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Eric Strobel
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Rob Suter
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Tisha Venturini
|
USA |
FBL |
1996 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Phil Verchota
|
USA |
IHO |
1980—1984 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Mark Wells
|
USA |
IHO |
1980 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
|
Serena Williams
|
USA |
TEN |
2000—2016 |
21 Grand Slam titles (1999-2015), four Olympic gold medals (2000-12), 2015 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |