Athletes Who Could Be Politicians

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Nov 4, 2008

Athletes Who Could Be Politicians

Charles Barkley

Which current or former athletes would make good politicians? Here are 13 who we think would do well in office. The former NBA star announced in 2006 that he switched political parties, and now a Democrat, was considering a gubenatorial run in Alabama in 2010. An Obama supporter, he reiterated his intent in February.

Michael Phelps

With higher approval ratings than most American politicians, the record-setting swimmer can't lose. And living in Baltimore he's close to Washington already.

Dhani Jones

According the Huffington Post, Jones, a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengels, was so moved by An Inconvenient Truth that he spent three days of his summer break attending Al Gore's grassroots tutorial. Now, Jones can present the movie's lecture and corresponding slide show on his own.

Joey Cheek

The 2006 gold medalist speedskater, was denied a visa to China days before the Olympics. Cheek is the president and co-founder of a collection of Olympic athletes known as Team Darfur. He planned to urge China -- which has been criticzed for trading, including exchanging weapons for oil, with the ruling regime in Sudan -- to push for peace in war-ravaged Darfur.

Juan Dixon

If Dixon ever tires of life on the bench in the NBA, a quick call to aunt and popular Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon could have the Pistons guard on a different track.

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq has been involved in public service since he became a U.S. deputy marshal in 2005. "[His] interest in police work is real," Miami Beach Police Chief Don De Lucca told USA Today in 2005.

Dara Torres

If Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin are grabbing votes as inspiration for women everywhere, no one's more of a fitness inspiration for middle-aged moms than Torres: the 41-year-old mother grabbed a silver medal in the 2008 Olympics.

Karl Malone

Could the mailman be ready to move onto another public servant job? The former Jazz star has campaigned for Orrin Hatch, headlined a 2000 NRA fundraiser with Charlton Heston and signed a letter of support for President Bush. In 2002, his agent told CNN he was considering running for governor of Arkansas after he retired.

Greg Anthony

The former UNLV star and NBA vet did a little more than shoot hoops in Vegas -- he was a vice chairman of Nevada's Young Republicans and graduated with a degree in political science.

Myron Rolle

If all goes according to plan for the Florida State football star, he could be spending his summer trying to decide between the NFL and a Rhodes Scholarship -- an honor received by Byron White, Bill Bradley and President Clinton.

Candice Wiggins

The former Stanford team captain and current WNBA player is known as much for her team leadership and smiles on the court as her scoring. Off the court, she received the WNBA award for community service thanks to her involvement with the AIDS-awareness charity, "Until There's a Cure".

Curt Schilling

The staunch Republican not only introduced McCain at a rally in New Hampshire, but also stayed on stage to field questions with him from the audience.

Baron Davis

The longtime Obama supporter addressed the Congressional Black Caucus on the issue of health care for minorities and introduced Obama at a fundraiser in Silicon Valley. Could Obama be stumping for him next?