1. LeBron James, Miami Heat His “decision” to break Cleveland’s heart over the bright lights and fast times of South Beach left a bad taste in many sports fans’ mouths. But there’s no denying the hype he created with the Miami Big 3 of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James’ number 6 Miami jersey was the hottest thing in 2010 and will continue to be one of the best-selling NBA jerseys, and across all sports, for many years to come.
2. 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 small 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 pundit. Skins fans are now in the same situation Vikings fans were in last season, rooting for a guy they’ve booed and booed for the past 10 years. McNabb instantly improves the quarterback position in Washington and makes the Skins legitimate playoff contenders.
4. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos – Perhaps the greatest college football quarterback of all time, Tebow seemingly has it all: talent, good looks, humility and 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 specialty shirts around – pick your own “Durantula” shirt here!
6. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers – Believe it or not, Bryant is entering his 15th NBA season, but at 32 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 to Kobe to work through injuries this season on his way to leading Los Angeles to a sixth NBA title and a “three-title repeat.”
7. Roy Halladay Philadelphia Phillies – Halladay will almost certainly be the 2010 National League 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, and he performed even better than anyone could have expected. Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history on May 29 and threw the second no-hitter in postseason history, knocking Cincinnati down, for the 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 with the sixth overall pick 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 just 36 years old. Jeter has the best-selling MLB jersey and is one of the most popular players to wear the Yankees’ pinstripes. It’s likely he’ll end up back in the Bronx next season, where he’ll be on his way to hitting No. 3,000.
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 league MVP in 2009 and was named to the First Team All-Star for the fifth straight season. Ovechkin is one of the most popular players in the league and currently has the #2 best-selling NHL jersey.