The 16 Most Clutch Athletes of All Time
Closers from six different sports, judged on what they did when the game was already lost. Arguing about this is half the fun of watching.
1Michael JordanBasketball's definitive closer, with six Finals titles and a catalogue of series-ending shots.
2Tom BradyQuarterback with 14 postseason game-winning drives, including a 25-point comeback in a Super Bowl.
3Tiger WoodsGolfer who converted a long run of 54-hole leads at majors into wins, often on the last hole.
4Derek JeterShortstop whose postseason hitting over five World Series titles earned him the nickname Mr. November.
5Serena WilliamsTennis player who repeatedly saved match points on the way to 23 major singles titles.
6Novak DjokovicSaved championship points in major finals more often than any player of his era.
7Joe MontanaQuarterback who never lost a Super Bowl and closed the 1989 title with a 92-yard drive.
8LeBron JamesErased a 3-1 Finals deficit in 2016 and finished it with a chase-down block.
9Mariano RiveraCloser with the lowest postseason earned run average of the modern era across five titles.
10Larry BirdForward whose steal and last-second shots defined Boston's tightest playoff games.
11Kobe BryantGuard who took and made more late-game shots than anyone of his generation.
12Lionel MessiScored in a World Cup final and delivered late goals in the biggest matches of his career.
13Cristiano RonaldoBuilt a reputation on stoppage-time goals in Champions League knockout ties.
14Jack NicklausWon 18 majors, several of them with a closing round that broke the field.
15Reggie JacksonNicknamed Mr. October after hitting three home runs on three pitches in a World Series game.
16Wayne GretzkyHockey's leading playoff scorer, with four Stanley Cups and a habit of deciding overtime.
Comments
Sixteen athletes out of every sport, and the tennis entry had nobody to pass to on the way to 23 majors: https://youpick.best/articles/kobe-bryant-ranked-many-ways https://youpick.best/articles/serena-williams-ranked-many-ways
