This is a list of athletes who were the most physically gifted athletes in the last 50 years.
This is a list of athletes who were the most physically gifted athletes in the last 50 years.
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Rank (best ever) 21
Score (all time) 406.00
Created 11/20/14
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1
Julius "Dr. J" Erving
Julius Erving was so physically gifted that he would make two or three moves per game that were never seen before. The greatest leaper, with huge hands, and unmatched body control. Julius Erving's movements on the court were not only incredible but he was the most graceful basketball player of all time. Both in person, and on television, nothing prepared America for an athlete like Julius Erving. His feats of athleticism in the ABA, The Rucker League, and the NBA were unparalleled in the annals of American Professional Sport. The word of mouth stories about Julius Erving in the ABA were Paul Bunyan like. There are perhaps ten legendary moves by Dr. J that have never been recreated on a professional basketball court.
2
Aleksandr Karelin
A Hero of the Russian Federation, this Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and Russia was nicknamed the "Russian Bear," "Russian King Kong", "Alexander the Great" and "The Experiment", for he is considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time. Earned the Olympic Gold Medal in three consecutive Olympics. He was undefeated in international competition for thirteen years, and went six years without giving up a point. He won the World Championship Gold nine years in a row. Was thought to be the closest human to Hercules in modern times. Karelin was included in the 25 best world athletes of the 20th century.
3
Gale Sayers
Gale Sayers is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. Gale Sayers moves were so stunning that he would take defender's breath away. Not only was he physically gifted but he was the smoothest and most graceful running back in NFL history. His ability to make defenders miss was never equaled. Barry Sanders is the only other NFL running back to have moves in Gales Sayer's class. Sayers' records include most touchdowns in a rookie season (22 in 1965), most touchdowns in a game 6, highest career kickoff return average (30.56), and most return touchdowns in a game
4
Kelly Slater
The courage, skill, and creativity exhibited by Kelly Slater is unparalleled in the history of pro surfing. He is the standard bearer for all other surfers. He has been crowned ASP World Surfing Tour Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles in 1994–98. He is the youngest (at age 20) and the oldest (at age 39) to win the title. Kelly Slater holds the World championship tour (WCT) surfing victories record at 54. The next closest competitor in history is retired surfer, Tom Curren at 33.
5
Edwin Moses
Edwin Moses was the most dominant track athlete in his sport over the past fifty years. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races) and set the world record in his event four times. Edwin Moses won two Olympic Gold Medals. He was the most fluid and effortless hurdler track and field has ever seen.
6
Wilt Chamberlain
He played the center position and is widely considered one of the greatest and the most dominant player in NBA history. At 7 foot 1 inches and 275 pounds, Wilt Chamberlain set scoring and rebounding records that are unmatched to this day. The numbers are mind numbing. One hundred points in a game. Averaging over 50 points per game in a season. He also won seven scoring titles, nine field goal percentage titles, eleven rebounding titles, and once even led the league in assists. Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to average at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season, a feat he accomplished nine times. He is also the only player to average at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game over the entire course of his NBA career.
7
Mario Lemieux
At six foot four and two hundred and thirty five pounds, Hockey has never seen an athlete as gifted as Mario Lemieux. The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Lemieux immediately after his first retirement in 1997, waiving the normal three-year waiting period. Bobby Orr called him "the most talented player I've ever seen." Wayne Gretzky stated that "You don't replace players like Mario Lemieux". His speed, power, strength, skating ability, puck handling ability, and scoring talents were awe inspiring. He had all the speed and quickness of of a much smaller man with the strength, and power of a big man. He had every skill a hockey player could possess.
8
Nadia Comaneci
The Romanian gymnast won 5 gold medals and 9 medals total. Nadia Comanechi is essentially the definition of the 'Perfect 10' athlete. In her defining Olympic moments, the scoreboard wasn't even capable of displaying a score of '10' but all of that changed after Nadia Comaneci. Strength, balance, body control, grace, creativity, and unmatched skill was the hallmark of Nadia Comaneci.
9
Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden provided the single most outstanding Olympic performance at one Games in winter olympic's history! He won 5 speed skating events, earning 5 gold medals, 4 Olympic records and one world record over a nine-day span in 1980, winning everything at just 21 years old!
10
Jean-Claude Killy
French ski legend Jean-Claude Killy won the “Triple Crown” of alpine skiing sweeping all three races in Grenoble at the age of 24. He’s only the second skier after Toni Sailer to win all three events at one Winter Olympics. He was not only the best skier of his era but perhaps the most exciting and gifted skier ever. Along with Alberto Tomba of Italy, and Franz Klammer of Austria, Jean-Claude Killy is widely considered the most physically gifted skier in Olympic history.
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