Miami Heat Legends Recognized Among 25 Most Influential Athletes of 21st Century

Jake Elman | 11 Hours Ago

Dec 30, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) goes up for a dunk in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Heat won 103-101. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal left quite the impact on the Miami Heat, each dominating opponents and bringing championships to South Florida.

Not only are James and O’Neal two of the most important players in NBA history, but they’re easily among the more impactful athletes over the last quarter-century. In fact, Bleacher Report recently ranked James and O’Neal among the 25 most influential sports figures of the last 25 years.

O’Neal placed 23rd, ranking above Pittsburgh Penguins great Sidney Crosby and legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk. James unsurprisingly topped the list. 

Younger basketball fans may only know O’Neal from Inside the NBA and his various commercials. They’re unfortunately too young to have seen O’Neal in his prime when he was a 7-foot-1, 325-pound unstoppable force in the paint.

O’Neal averaged 19.6 points and 9.1 rebounds in four seasons with the Heat. He finished second in the 2005 NBA MVP voting and led the Heat to their first championship a year later. 

James’ resume speaks for itself, especially as he’s continued setting records in recent years. Once upon a time, he averaged 26.9, 7.6 points, and 6.7 steals per game in four seasons with the Heat and led Miami to the NBA Finals every year from 2011-14.

The Heat brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy home in 2012 and 2013. 

Objectively speaking, the list is imperfect, especially when the NBA is involved. Dirk Nowitzki, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, and Tim Duncan were all omitted. Kobe Bryant finished outside the top five and below Stephen Curry. 

Some Heat fans may argue that Dwyane Wade should have made the list, though he would have likely ranked below O’Neal. Although James was the face of the Big Three, Wade’s presence helped bring The King to Miami, and he is a Hall of Famer in his own right.

At least James and O’Neal made the list. Duncan and Durant’s omissions are bad enough. Imagine a list celebrating influential athletes without O’Neal!

MORE HEAT NEWS

NBA Analyst Questions Miami Heat Star Jimmy Butler’s Possible Trade Destinations

Heat’s Jimmy Butler Faces ‘Nonexistent’ Free Agent Market, Predicts NBA Insider

Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.