Notable Kings in Sports

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jan 20, 2014

Notable Kings in Sports

LeBron James

LeBron was dubbed "King James" even before he entered the NBA, and after two NBA titles and four NBA MVPs, there isn't much debate that he deserves the title. He has become the best player of his era.

Felix Hernandez

Only 19 at the time of his MLB debut, Felix Hernandez has evolved into one of the best pitchers in baseball, earning him the nickname "King Felix." He won the AL Cy Young in 2010, when he finished the season with a 2.27 ERA.

Henrik Lundqvist

The Swedish goaltender won the NHL's Vezina Trophy -- given to the league's top netminder -- for the 2011-12 season. Lundqvist finished that season with 39 wins, allowing only 1.97 goals per game and helping lead the Rangers to the best record in the Eastern Conference. "King Henry" has been one of the NHL's best goalies during his career, which has taken place exclusively in New York.

Pelé

Pelé is known as the "King of Football" for good reason: The Brazilian is considered by most to be the greatest soccer player of all-time. He scored 1,281 goals during his career and won three World Cups with Brazil; no other player has won three World Cups. Pelé also played for the New York Cosmos briefly at the end of his career, leading the Cosmos to a championship and helping spark American interest in soccer.

Rafael Nadal

Perhaps the greatest tennis players of his era and certainly one of the best of all-time, Rafael Nadal has excelled on basically every playing surface. But on clay, he's unstoppable. Nadal has won eight of the last nine French Open titles, earning himself the nickname the "King of Clay."

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have played hockey in warm Los Angeles since 1967. But the team failed to win a Stanley Cup until 2012, when the Kings -- led by goaltender Jonathan Quick -- blew by through their opponents and won the Cup in dominating fashion, only losing four games the entire Stanley Cup playoffs. In 2014, the Kings became only the fourth team in NHL history to win a playoff series down 3-0, when they came back to defeat the Sharks in the first round and went on to win their second Stanley Cup.

Sacramento Kings

Originally known as the Cincinnati Royals, the Kings franchise has been part of the NBA since its founding in 1949. The team was nicknamed the "Kings" when it moved from Cincinnati to Kansas City and Omaha. (It was known as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.) The Kings found a new home in Sacramento in 1985.

Bernard King

In a career that touched three decades, Bernard King was one of the NBA's most consistent scorers. He averaged 22.5 points per game in his career, and even led the league with 32.9 points per game during the 1984-85 season as a member of the New York Knicks.

Ledley King

One of Tottenham Hotspur's greatest players ever, Ledley King spent his entire 14-year professional career at White Hart Lane. One of the great defenders of his era, King -- who last played professionally in 2012 -- starred both for Spurs and his home country of England on the international stage.

Carl Hubbell

Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

In a 16-year career with the New York Giants -- long before they moved to San Francisco -- Hubbell established himself as one of the great pitchers of his era. A Hall of Famer, "King Carl" earned more than 20 wins in five straight seasons, from 1933 to 1937, including a 26-win effort in 1936. He was an eight-time All-Star.

King Clancy

Bruce Bennett Studios, Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Clancy, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, played on the first Maple Leaf team to win the Stanley Cup. He also played for the Senators during his 16-year career. Today, the NHL awards the King Clancy trophy each year to the player who demonstrates leadership on and off the rink and makes a positive impact in his community.

Billie Jean King

A six-time Wimbledon and four-time U.S. Open champion, Billie Jean King is best remembered for her famous "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs. One of the most important moments in sports history and the advancement of women in sports, King defeated Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The victory marked a major turning point for women in sports.

King Kelly

Kelly debuted for Cincinnati in 1878 and soon became one of the game's brightest stars. Statistically, Kelly was a very good player for he was an integral aspect of baseball's evolution to America's national pastime.

Betsy King

One of the best LPGA players ever, King won 34 tournaments -- including six majors -- during her professional golf career. She was also the first LPGA player to earn $6 million during her career, obtaining the title in 1998.

Don King

Don King is boxing's most famous promoter, an icon of the sport who made a career out of hyping fights. He notably coined the "Rumble in the Jungle," one of the most famous fights of all-time, between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

Peter King

King, recipient of the Pro Football Writers of America's Dick McCann Award in 2009, is perhaps best known for his "Monday Morning Quarterback" columns, but he has also authored several football books and appears regularly on television coverage of the NFL. He is the Editor in Chief of TheMMQB.com.