who is the greatest sports figure ever?

Favorite Answer

Easy Answer, Michael Jordan, Number 23 of the Chicago Bulls.

He is regarded as the greatest player ever in his sport, with wide acclaim to his name. Everyone knows who he is. Not only does he carry such a well known status, but he has the credentials to back it up. His Six NBA Championships speak for themselves. Not to mention his two Olympic Gold Metals.

Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five NBA MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star game appearances, ten scoring titles, three stealing titles, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.1 points per game, as well as averaging a record 33.4 points per game in the playoffs. In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century.

Jordan led the NBA in scoring in 10 seasons (NBA record) and tied Wilt Chamberlain's record of seven consecutive scoring titles. He was also a fixture on the NBA All-Defensive Team, making the roster nine times. By 1998, the season of his Finals-winning shot against the Jazz, he was well known throughout the league as a clutch performer. In the regular season, Jordan was the Bulls' primary threat in the final seconds of a close game and in the playoffs, Jordan would always demand the ball at crunch time. Jordan's total of 5,987 points in the playoffs is the highest in NBA history. He retired with 32,292 points, placing him third on the NBA's all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.


After Jordan scored a playoff record 63 points against the Boston Celtics in 1986, Celtics star Larry Bird described him as "God disguised as Michael Jordan."

No other player comes close to equaling the amount Jordan did for his sport or his team.

Air Jordan is the Greatest Sports Figure Ever. Period....Show more

Bruce Lee. Arguably the most dedicated man to ever live, period.

Lance Armstrong was not a full season racer. His story was incredible, but he trained most of the year for that one race a year, against racers who almost all competed in other races during the year, he is a great athlete though....Show more

anna kornakova (sp). Hands down, that is a great figure


In seriousness, go with Jackie Robinson or Muhammed Ali or anybody else who revolutionized their sport or made something special happen through their ability and action in their game. There are a lot of amazing stories out there about athletes you just gotta pick one :)...Show more

Cassius Clay...Show more

Lance Armstrong.

Who else beats cancer, and wins Tour De France, the hardest and most demanding physical sport accomplishment ever, 7 times....Show more