1. LeBron James, Miami Heat – His “decision” to break the heart of Cleveland over the bright lights and fast times of South Beach left a bad taste in the mouths of many sports fans. But there’s no denying the hype he created with Miami’s Big 3 of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James’ Miami No. 6 jersey was the hottest thing in 2010 and will remain one of the best-selling jerseys in the NBA, and in all of sports, for years to come.
two. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints – Brees was at the center of one of the greatest sports stories in a decade, putting the Saints on his back and leading them to their first Super Bowl title. The undersized quarterback has had to battle doubters his entire college and pro career, and winning the Super Bowl might have changed the conversation about where Brees ranks among the greatest quarterbacks of all time. His popularity has skyrocketed since the Super Bowl victory, and his jersey is the third best-selling jersey in the NFL.
3. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins – After a decade in Philadelphia, McNabb was sent south to division rival Washington in a surprising move that was questioned by nearly every NFL insider. Skins fans now find themselves in the same situation Vikings fans faced last season, rooting for a guy they’ve booed and booed for the last 10 years. McNabb instantly improves the quarterback position in Washington and makes the Skins legitimate playoff contenders.
Four. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos – Perhaps the greatest college football quarterback of all time, Tebow apparently has it all: the talent, the good looks, the humility and the faith. The only thing he doesn’t have is a starting job. Drafted 25th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, Tebow is the Broncos’ backup behind Kyle Orton, but remains one of the most popular players in the league. Shortly after the draft in April, Tebow became the best-selling NFL jersey.
5. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder – Aside from LeBron and Kobe, no NBA player is as talented as Durant. At 21, Durant became the youngest player in NBA history to win the scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game last season. He recently turned 22, and many in NBA circles are predicting that Durant will be the league’s MVP in 2010-11. He also has one of the coolest special t-shirts out there – pick your own “Durantula” t-shirt here!
6. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers – Believe it or not, Bryant is entering his 15th NBA season, but at 32 years old he is still one of the best players in the NBA. The five-time NBA champion led the Lakers to another title last season and he remains the most popular NBA player in the world. In fact, Bryant has had the best-selling NBA jersey for several years. Look for Kobe to overcome injuries this season on his way to leading Los Angeles to a sixth NBA title and a “three-title repeat.”
7. Roy HalladayPhiladelphia Phillies – Halladay will almost certainly be the 2010 NL Cy Young Award winner, having finished a season in which he went 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA. “Doc” was the biggest offseason acquisition heading into the 2010 season, performing even better than anyone could have expected. Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history on May 29 and pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history, toppling Cincinnati, for icing on the cake.
8. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins – The 23-year-old finished second in the NHL in scoring with 109 points last season (51 goals and 58 assists). After losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins star became the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup when Pittsburgh won it a year later. Look to Crosby to be the face of the league for the next decade.
9. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees – Mr. November was drafted sixth overall in the 1992 amateur draft, and all these years later he finished his 16th season as a Yankee, where he had 2,926 career hits and won five World Series. All this, and Jeter is still only 36 years old. Jeter has the best-selling MLB jersey and is one of the most popular players to wear Yankees pinstripes. It’s likely he’ll end up back in the Bronx next season, where he’ll be on pace for his 3,000th hit.
10 Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals – The first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Ovechkin has been a dominant force in the NHL for the past half decade. The left wing was named the league’s MVP in 2009 and was named to the All-Star First Team for the fifth straight season. Ovechkin is one of the most popular players in the league and currently has the best-selling number 2 NHL jersey.
