# The 15 Greatest Athletes From Texas

> Baseball, boxing, golf, gymnastics and the NFL, all claimed by one state. Born there or merely made there, and the list argues about that too.

*By YPB Team · Published August 9, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-15-greatest-athletes-from-texas*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Simone Biles**
   Raised in Spring, Texas, and trained at her family's gym outside Houston.
2. **Nolan Ryan**
   Refugio-born pitcher who threw seven no-hitters and struck out 5,714 batters.
3. **Jack Johnson**
   Galveston fighter who became the first Black heavyweight champion of the world in 1908.
4. **Babe Didrikson Zaharias**
   Port Arthur native who won Olympic track golds and then dominated women's golf.
5. **Earl Campbell**
   Tyler-born running back, a Heisman winner at Texas and an NFL MVP with Houston.
6. **Rogers Hornsby**
   Winters-born second baseman with a .358 career batting average, second all-time.
7. **Ben Hogan**
   Stephenville-born golfer who won nine majors, four of them after a near-fatal crash.
8. **Byron Nelson**
   Waxahachie-born golfer who won 11 straight tournaments in 1945.
9. **Tommie Smith**
   Clarksville-born sprinter who won 200m gold in 1968 and raised a fist on the podium.
10. **Michael Johnson**
   Dallas-born sprinter who won the 200m and 400m at the same Games in 1996.
11. **Clyde Drexler**
   Houston-raised guard who won an NBA title and played on the 1992 Dream Team.
12. **Sheryl Swoopes**
   Brownfield-born forward, the first player signed to the WNBA and a three-time MVP.
13. **Drew Brees**
   Austin-born quarterback who won a Super Bowl with New Orleans.
14. **Jordan Spieth**
   Dallas-born golfer who won three majors before turning 25.
15. **Lance Armstrong**
   Plano-born cyclist whose seven Tour de France titles were later stripped for doping.

Tags: usa, sports, athletes, all-time