20. Blake Griffin
Griffin isn't exactly the best player in the NBA, but his electrifying dunks and alley-oop slams make him an instant highlight reel. Too bad he won't be leaping out of gyms forever.
Griffin isn't exactly the best player in the NBA, but his electrifying dunks and alley-oop slams make him an instant highlight reel. Too bad he won't be leaping out of gyms forever.
Prior to the 2013 season, not too many people really had Jamaal Charles on their radar, but he recorded nearly 2,000 yards of total offense and 19 touchdowns. Fantasy owners are praying he can play forever.
Stephen Curry is a budding superstar and he's also in talks of best players in the NBA. The young point guard has taken the NBA by storm with his three-point shooting and MVP-type play. There are a lot of people who could watch him play every day and be content with how the NBA is.
Tony Gonzalez is the one guy on this list who has already announced his retirement -- and it still hasn't sunk in with many fans. As one of the best tight ends of all time, Gonzalez will be severely missed and it will be weird watching football without the veteran in 2014.
Alshon Jeffery has just broken out in 2013 as one of the best wide outs in football. Jeffery accounted for 1,421 yards and seven touchdowns this season with two games with more than 200 yards receiving. It will be cool to see how many Bears receiving records he will break.
Finishing as a runner-up for AL MVP for the past couple of seasons has been tough for the best young player in MLB, but Mike Trout has multiple in his future. He has the making of a future Hall of Famer.
It would be a crying shame if Derrick Rose had to retire because of injuries. The guy has been injured since 2011 and it seems like he might not ever be the same player again. However, when he is healthy, he is so fun to watch that the NBA takes notice undoubtedly.
Sid the Kid is one of the most exciting NHL players of all time and he is one player that can save the league's popularity. With the league struggling to gain recognition, Crosby is one guy that gets a ton of it.
Kershaw has emerged as one of the top pitchers in baseball -- if not the best -- and it's fun to watch him mow down batters and post a sub-two ERA. Not many players in baseball draw the excitement that he does every time he takes the mound.
Verlander is just one step above Kershaw because of his long-term dominance. If Verlander were to retire tomorrow, the Detroit Tigers would lose a future Hall of Fame pitcher as well as the best pitcher in the American League, in my opinion. Let's hope he still has a lot left in the tank.
Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the best soccer player in the world, although Cristiano Ronaldo would disagree, and soccer fans love watching Messi dominate fútbol. Yes, Messi is a god in the soccer world.
People pay big money to watch Floyd "Money" Mayweather knock the lights out of opponents. What will happen when he retires from being a hardcore butt-kicker? The world will be a much darker place.
Kevin Durant could end up being the best player in the NBA in a couple of years. He still has yet to reach the age of 26 and he has the talent to win multiple scoring titles -- and MVPs -- before his career is done. Let's just sick back and hope he plays forever.
Tom Brady seems to be as clutch as they come in January and February, but he is not very well-liked by opposing fans. However, the NFL will be a dull place without Brady's teammate scolding and Super Bowl winning.
Kobe Bryant has to be the most iconic basketball player of the past decade and that alone is enough to make fans wish he didn't have such a limited time remaining in the league. Bryant's injuries have made fans realize that there is such a short period of time left to cheer for one of the best NBA players of all time -- the Black Mamba.
As the best wide receiver in recent memory, Calvin Johnson happens to also be the most physically gifted. Towering over cornerbacks and safeties on his way off the line of scrimmage, Johnson is almost like poetry in motion and it could be a long time before we see another physical beast like Megatron.
Another guy that is physically gifted, Adrian Peterson happened to heal from a torn ACL better and faster than any athlete has seemingly ever done so. The year after the major injury and surgery, Peterson proved to be an athletic freak/miracle, rushing for over 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Miguel Cabrera has been the most exciting baseball player in MLB. Winning the Triple Crown in 2012 marked the first time a player has done so since the 1960s. He contended for another Triple Crown in 2013, but fell a bit short. Hey, two consecutive MVPs isn't too shabby.
It's hard to find a physical specimen like James in the NBA. The guy is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds of solid muscle and he can run the floor like a point guard. He has the ability to become the best NBA player of all time if he continues at the same pace he has been at. Yeah, wish we could watch him play forever.
This one was an easy choice for No. 1. No, not because I put his name in the headline and felt inclined to say he was the one player that fans should never want to retire, but because he seems to be getting better with age. He broke the single season passing yards and single season passing touchdowns record in 2013 and he's 37 years old. Hopefully he doesn't have to face retirement because of his neck, because he is the best athlete this decade.
Get our content customized for you directly to your inbox!
