Who are the top athletes in D.C. professional sports? Here's an attempt to remove bias by assigning a fixed number of points for certain achievements in order to rank the top 10 athletes in Washington right now.
D.C. Athlete Power IndexWho are the top 10 athletes in D.C. sports today? See who leads the way according to WTOP’s formula.
(AP Photos)
AP Photos
10. Ian Desmond (20 points)
The longest-tenured player in the Nationals’ organization, Desmond doesn’t have any singular moments that define his time in Washington. But he has been an All-Star, won a trio of Silver Slugger awards, and is the face of the Youth Baseball Academy, by far the biggest and furthest reaching charitable arm of the club.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
9. Jordan Zimmermann (23 points)
Zimmermann was one out away from his signature postseason moment, but delivered the first no-hitter in franchise history last season to earn his way onto the list. He’s been very good since coming to Washington in 2009, leading the league in wins two seasons ago on his way to consecutive top-five Cy Young finishes.
(AP Photo/David Tulis)
AP Photo/David Tulis
8. Stephen Strasburg (24 points)
This isn’t a list of only Nationals players, although Strasburg is the third consecutive member of the local baseball club to start it off. It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that most of the team’s core is lumped together closely, considering their shared postseason experience and similar service times.
Stras gets the extra points above his teammates thanks to his electric debut, one of the more memorable moments in recent D.C. sports history. His national SportsCenter ad also gives him an incremental bump.
(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
7. Robert Griffin III (25 points)
While Griffin seemed to be poised to finish much higher on this list, two straight seasons of injuries have taken much of the shine off a 2012 campaign that set him up to be the city’s most popular athlete. His profile is buoyed by strong community work and a plethora of national ad campaigns. He is still the face of Washington football, at least for one more season.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
6. Bryce Harper (26 points)
Harper has easily the highest upside on this list. An MVP campaign and a memorable playoff run could easily jump him into the top three, but for now, he sits just outside the top five. While he was the Nats’ best offensive player in last year’s postseason, he hasn’t provide a singular postseason moment for the ages … yet.
(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
5. John Wall (27 points)
Wall’s Willis Reed-esque effort — playing through five broken bones in his hand and wrist — may not have been enough to lift the Wizards to the conference finals, but it still registered with fans. Easily the most recognizable and popular basketball player in town, Wall strengthened his legacy on and off the court this season.
When he broke down into tears over the death of young fan and friend Miyah Nelson after nearly single-handedly willing the Wizards to a double-overtime victory, he gave the city a rare glimpse of the humanity underneath the polished marketing of professional sports.
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
AP Photo/John Bazemore
4. Nicklas Backstrom (29 points)
No player has earned his place on this list more quietly than Backstrom, who has been nothing but solid in seven seasons for the Caps. As Alex Ovechkin’s partner in crime, Backstrom has notched 70+ points in every full season of his career, topping 85 five times. His career +/- (79) is actually higher than Ovi’s, and he has the most assists in franchise history (427).
While he lacks the public recognition of some of the other names on this list, there’s no denying what Backstrom has accomplished on the ice in Washington.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
3. Ryan Zimmerman (34 points)
Zimmerman may someday be overtaken by Harper, but his longevity and proclivity for the big moment make him the top National on the list. The appropriately nicknamed “Mr. Walk-off” has done just that nine times with game-winning home runs, one of the top marks in Major League history. Most notably, he opened Nationals Park with a walk-off shot off the Braves’ Peter Moylan in the first game in Nationals Park history.
While injuries have hampered Zimmerman the past few years, he is the franchise leader in most offensive categories and remains the face of the Nationals to fans who have been following the club since it moved to the District in 2005.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
2. Ben Olsen (42 points)
While he’s no longer an active player, Olsen’s transition from the pitch to the bench has kept him a vital part of the D.C. United family. His long tenure, popularity and success are almost unmatched in the current D.C. sports landscape, winning two MLS Cups, twice being selected as an All-Star, taking home the MLS Cup MVP, and even winning the 2003 USSF Humanitarian Award for his work off the field.
Olsen’s continued success as a coach (not factored into point rankings) has only continued to elevate the goodwill toward him from the fan base.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
1. Alex Ovechkin (75 points)
When it came down to it, the competition for the top spot wasn’t close. No D.C. athlete has enjoyed the kind of sustained success Ovechkin has achieved over the past decade. He’s the only current player with an MVP and the only one with a scoring title, winning both multiple times. He established a new franchise career scoring record this year, despite having played in 201 fewer games than Peter Bondra, the former titleholder.
The only thing missing from Ovechkin’s Hall-of-Fame career is a championship. Until he gets that Stanley Cup, he can lay claim to this one.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON — The past calendar year has seen the Capitals, Nationals, D.C. United and Wizards all make playoff runs, but all come up short in the quest for a title. There are no stars playing for D.C. sports franchises who have won a title for their current team. So who are the top athletes in the District?
There are plenty of subjective arguments to be made, depending on one’s own predilections. This is an attempt to remove bias by assigning a fixed number of points for certain achievements in order to rank the top 10 athletes in D.C. as of right now.
First, let’s set some ground rules. This list is includes only active players, with one notable exception. Ben Olsen’s continued tenure as a head coach of D.C. United after playing for the club puts him in a unique position as a local athlete who continues to be actively involved in his franchise. His points come from his time as a player, not as a coach.
With those disclaimers in place, here are the criteria and point scales for each category:
MVPs (5 points each)
While awards can be subjective, winning the MVP only happens if you are very good and very well known, both of which are major components to appearing on a list like this.
All-Star appearances (3 points each)
There are more All-Star spots available in baseball than basketball, but also more players to contend with. Like MVPs, an All-Star appearance combines talent and recognition.
Playoff appearances (2 points each)
It is notably easier to make the postseason in basketball and hockey than in baseball, but the playoffs are where athletes leave their legacy, for better or for worse.
Years played (1 point each)
Showing up may not really be half the battle in this competition, but the longer a player has worn a D.C. sports jersey, the larger his impact on the Washington sports landscape.
Clutch playoff performances (5 points each)
While five points might seem like a lot for a single moment, which do you remember better: Ryan Zimmerman’s 2009 All-Star campaign or Jayson Werth’s Game 4 walk-off blast?
Historical moments (5 points each)
Without a lot of championship moments, historical moments in the regular season carry a ton of weight as well. Stephen Strasburg’s electric debut? RGIII’s stunning march to the playoffs? These are some of the best recent D.C. sports memories.
League leaders (1 point each)
This is reserved for major statistical categories, or awards like the Gold Glove or Silver Slugger that encapsulate the best overall player at his position.
Community programs (3 points each)
Nearly every professional athlete engages in forms of community service, but for some it is a staple of their life away from their life off the field. If a player has a major foundation or a singular moment that has stood out in their charitable work, they received points here.
With all that said, we’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 D.C. athletes. Honorable mentions go to Alfred Morris, Braden Holtby, Jayson Werth and Trent Williams. Flip through the gallery to see who made the cut.
