# The 14 Greatest Athletes From California

> Public courts in Compton, a Pasadena high school, a Riverside dojo — the state turns out a particular kind of career.

*By YPB Team · Published August 5, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-14-greatest-athletes-from-california*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Serena Williams**
   Born in Michigan but made in Compton, where she and Venus learned the game on public courts.
2. **Tiger Woods**
   Born in Cypress and won three straight US Amateurs before turning twenty-one.
3. **Jackie Robinson**
   Raised in Pasadena and a four-sport athlete at UCLA before he ever played pro baseball.
4. **Ronda Rousey**
   Born in Riverside, trained in Southern California and won her Olympic judo medal out of it.
5. **Ted Williams**
   San Diego born, the last man to hit .400 in a Major League season.
6. **Barry Bonds**
   Riverside born, played most of his career in San Francisco and holds the home-run record.
7. **Cheryl Miller**
   Riverside's other great, who scored 105 points in a single high-school game.
8. **Venus Williams**
   The other half of the Compton pair, with five Wimbledon singles titles.
9. **Bill Russell**
   Moved to Oakland as a boy and won two college titles at San Francisco before the Celtics.
10. **Marion Jones**
   Los Angeles born and a five-medal sprinter in Sydney, all later returned.
11. **Tony Gwynn**
   Los Angeles born, spent twenty seasons with San Diego and won eight batting titles.
12. **Lisa Fernandez**
   Long Beach born softball pitcher with three Olympic golds.
13. **Kerri Walsh Jennings**
   Santa Clara born and the most decorated beach volleyball player in Olympic history.
14. **Klay Thompson**
   Los Angeles born, and half of the shooting pair that changed how the Warriors played.

Tags: usa, sports, athletes, california