Category: Baseball

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There are countless players in professional sports who have made cameos in movies, television shows and everything in-between.

We recently released our top 10 athlete cameos in movies, but it got us thinking — how many athletes have played a primary role in a movie? On that note, how many players who are in their respective sport’s Hall of Fame have starred in a film? 

We took on the task of answering this question, diving into movies over the last couple of decades and ranking the 10 best athletes to star or play a primary role in a movie.

While there are some obvious choices near the top, there are also some surprising names that made our list, and there are more on the way. FOX Sports analyst and Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson will join Marshawn Lynch on the big screen in a new film titled “Love Hurts“, releasing on February 7th. 

Did your favorite athlete crack the list? Let’s take a look:

10. O.J. Simpson – “The Naked Gun”

“The Juice” plays the role of Detective Nordberg — a police officer who just can’t do right. His character provides constant comedic relief throughout the film, such as slipping on a wet surface and falling overboard while trying to bust a drug operation on a ship. The main character, Frank Drebin (played by Leslie Nielsen), constantly protects him throughout the movie, and the final scene hilariously ends with Drebin accidentally pushing Nordberg’s wheelchair down stadium stairs and launching him onto a field.

9. Bob Uecker – “Major League”

Sometimes if you try to fail, you succeed … or at least that was the case for Cleveland in “Major League,” as an effort to tank a season to move a team to Miami ultimately ended in an AL East championship. And the legendary play-by-play broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers and former MLB catcher, Bob Uecker, is there for every leg of the race, announcing Cleveland’s games. Furthermore, the movie produced the iconic, “just a bit outside” line from Uecker.

In this 2006 rom-com starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, Bradshaw plays the role of Al — father Tripp (McConaughey), a 35-year old who still lives at home. Al and his wife enlist Paula (Parker) to get Tripp to move out, as she was able to get the son of their friends to move out. She believes it will be an easy job based on her prior experiences, but quickly realizes it’ll take some work. Bradshaw has several hilarious lines throughout the movie, and plays the role of loving and concerned father very well. The end of the movie involves Al and his wife devising a plan to get Tripp and Paula back together after a fight, and the two forgive each other. Bradshaw’s character gets his empty nest, and the two love birds sail away into the sunset. 

7. Kevin Garnett – “Uncut Gems”

“K.G.” was truly awesome in this movie, and is integral to the plot. Howard, played by Adam Sandler, is a jewelry store owner with a serious gambling addiction. Garnett stops by the shop one day and is enamored with a black opal that Howard has purchased with the goal of reselling it to pay off his debts. He convinces Howard to let him keep the opal for the night as he believes it will bring him good luck in his upcoming playoff game, and even lets him keep his 2008 NBA Championship ring as collateral. Garnett has a sensational game, and delays giving it back to Howard — who also earned a fortune betting on the Celtics star. The movie ends with Garnett ultimately buying the opal, and Howard placing a final bet on him to ball out in another playoff game — successfully winning the wager before a shocking turn of events in a crazy ending. 

“Ant” absolutely thrived in his role in another Adam Sandler sports classic, playing a cocky draft prospect named Kermit Wilts. The story revolves around Bo Cruz, played by Juancho Hernangómez, who is a Spanish prospect that 76ers scout Stanley Sugerman (Sandler) finds while in Spain with the intent of scouting another player. He convinces Cruz to play in a showcase for NBA Draft prospects, where he is dominated by Edwards’ character. His trash talk in the movie is elite and truly villainous, not to mention his out-of-this world dunks and actual basketball ability.

Cruz and Wilts matchup again in the movie in the draft combine, where Wilts makes comments about Cruz’s mother and daughter to get into his head— and ultimately causing him to lose his composure and storm off the court. You end up truly hating Wilts, which is a hallmark of how well Edwards played the role of a villain. 

5. Mike Ditka – “Kicking and Screaming”

Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall star in this comedy with Ditka playing himself— a hard-nosed ball coach looking to win. Ferrell plays Phil, the son of Buck (played by Duvall), with the two coaching separate little league soccer teams. Phil inherited the worst team in the league, which his son is on, while Buck has the best team.

In an effort to win, Phil enlists Ditka to help turn the team around, who just so happens to not only be his neighbor— but also Buck’s arch rival. Ditka trains the team rigorously in some hysterically funny scenes, and brings on two Italian boys who lead the team to the finals. He also introduces Phil to coffee, which turns him into an overbearing (albeit hilarious) coach. The beauty of this role is that Ditka just played himself, and it was perfect. 

4. Jim Brown – “The Dirty Dozen”

Brown plays Private Robert Jefferson in this 1967 war film, one of twelve convicts recruited for a dangerous World War II mission. He is a former football player convicted of murder who joins the group as part of a deal to earn his freedom. Brown’s character was very similar to his identity on the football field— powerful, disciplined, yet quiet. Arguably his most memorable scene is when he places explosives in a German officer’s bunker to help execute the team’s plan. Brown thrived in this role, and it is often considered the movie that sparked his Hollywood career— as the Hall of Fame running back starred in over 20 movies from the late 60s to the mid 1980s.

3. Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway – “Blue Chips”

If Pete Bell, played by Nick Nolte, was going to win in the college game, he knew that he was going to have to reach into the dark side of college recruiting. And upon getting help from a booster, Bell assembles a dynamite recruiting class with sweet perks for them and their family, which featured Neon Boudeaux (O’Neal) and Butch McRae (Hardaway). Boudeuax and McRae helped them win a thrilling opening night game at home, with Bobby Hurley playing point guard for the visiting team. Of course, Bell was canned after outing the booster at the postgame press conference but commended his team’s performance on home court.

2. Ray Allen – “He Got Game”

In this basketball classic, Denzel Washington stars as Jake Shuttlesworth— father to Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by Ray Allen. Allen is a star high school basketball recruit, and Jake is in prison for accidentally killing his wife years earlier— but is given the offer of an early release by the governor if he can convince Jesus to play for his alma mater, “Big State”. Throughout the movie, Jake tries to convince Jesus to commit but has no success, as Allen’s character is still upset about losing his mother. Ultimately, the movie ends with Jake challenging Jesus to a one-on-one for his freedom, with the NBA star of course winning and showing off his basketball prowess in the process. Despite this, Jesus decides to commit to Big State— but to no avail as the governor lied about his promise all along. Jake is sent back to jail, but he releases his anger and wishing the best for his son anyway.

1. Michael Jordan – “Space Jam”

In 1996, the world was in danger, as the “Monstars” agreed to play the “Looney Tunes” in a basketball game. Should the latter lose, they’d be turned into amusement fodder, and their planet would be no one. Fortunately, Jordan answered the bell when asked to play for the Looney Tunes, who lobbied for help. After a brutal first half, the Looney Tunes bounced back, with Jordan leading them to triumph in the final moments. Jordan, Bugs Bunny and friends overcame the Monstars to save their planet — of course, with some assistance from Bill Murray and Wayne Knight, among others.

Honorable mentions:

• Lawrence Taylor – “Any Given Sunday”
• Shaquille O’Neal – “Kazaam”
• Alex Karras – “Blazing Saddles”
• Andre the Giant – “The Princess Bride”
• Cam Neely – Dumb and Dumber 1 and 2 and “Me, Myself and Irene”

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Bob Uecker, one of the most iconic voices in baseball and the sports broadcasting history, has passed away. He was 90 years old.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Uecker’s family announced his death on Thursday morning, sharing that he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023.

“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Bob,” the family shared in a statement. “To many, he was an announcer and entertainer whose humor and voice transcended the game, but to us, he was so much more.”

Uecker enjoyed a six-year stint as an MLB player in the 1960s before becoming a broadcaster. He began working for a local TV station in Atlanta before he was hired to call Brewers games on the radio in 1971. Uecker held that position through the end of the 2024 season, serving as the Brewers’ radio voice for 54 seasons.

Additionally, Uecker called games for national broadcasts. He served as a color commentator for ABC and NBC from the 1970s through the 1990s, calling World Series games.

But Uecker gained national prominence through his acting work. He memorably starred as Harry Doyle in the “Major League” film series, starring in all three films as one of the radio voices of the team. He also was a fixture on late-night talk shows, appearing on the “Tonight Show” more than 100 times and earning the nickname “Mr. Baseball” from host Johnny Carson. Uecker also starred as George Owens on the hit sitcom “Mr. Belvedere” and had a memorable set of Miller Lite commercials in the 1980s. 

He continued to appear in shows in recent years, with his most notable appearance coming as a guest star in the Disney+ series, “Monsters at Work.”

Of course, Uecker also called Brewers games through the 2024 season. His 54 seasons as the team’s radio announcer was one of the longest tenures for a broadcaster in sports history. It was the second-longest active MLB streak at the time of his death.

Uecker was on the call, and on the postgame scene in the locker room, when the Brewers won the NL Central in 2024. That celebration just showed a glimpse of who he was. 

“He brought joy to countless listeners through his wit, charisma and love for baseball, Milwaukee, and all of Wisconsin, creating a legacy that will forever be cherished,” Uecker’s family said in the statement. “While his contributions to the game are noteworthy, it is his kindness, humility and love for family and friends that we will hold closest to our hearts.

“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time as we grieve and celebrate the man we were so lucky to call ours.”

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With Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Max Fried having already made their decisions in free agency, the top pitcher remaining on the market presents an unconventional case.

Money won’t play much of a factor in the decision for Rōki Sasaki, who has reportedly narrowed down his destination to three contenders — the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays — but can’t take anything more than a team’s international bonus pool money. Beyond Sasaki, though, there are plenty of more standard free agents left on the board for teams to fill their needs, pitching or otherwise.

Three of the top sluggers on the market, Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso and Anthony Santander, remain unsigned. Tanner Scott, the top closer in free agency, has also yet to sign and could ignite a slow relief market once he makes his decision. In addition, helpful depth pieces remain available both on the mound and in the field.

Certainly, money will play a factor in every player’s decision. But as far as team fits go, Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar identify the best landing spots for 10 of the most intriguing free agents still on the board.

10. SP Max Scherzer: Washington Nationals

Not one starting pitcher in the Nationals’ projected rotation is older than 27, and while MacKenzie Gore has shown promising swing-and-miss stuff, the staff is green and largely unproven. Those arms could really use some veteran leadership to take them to the next level. So, why not welcome a reunion with Scherzer, who spent the bulk of his prime with the Nationals?

The market for starters has been incredibly expensive this winter, and Washington was never expected to be competitive for top-end arms. Scherzer’s age and myriad injuries last year (back surgery, shoulder pain, hamstring injury) should bring his price down to a range the Nationals are comfortable spending. And even if he needs to spend some time on the injured list again, his insight and experience in the game are invaluable, particularly for a Nationals team that should be competitive enough to push for a wild-card berth given their exciting young offensive core. Don’t forget, Scherzer can still pitch. He had a sub-4.00 ERA and low walk rate when he was healthy enough to be on the mound for the Rangers last year — and the Nationals would happily take that kind of performance. 

If 2025 is Scherzer’s swan song before Cooperstown, a homecoming with the Nationals could be something that works wonders for both sides. They could even retire his jersey while he’s on the mound. — Thosar

9. SP Nick Pivetta: Atlanta Braves

A year after the Chris Sale renaissance, could the Braves get the best out of another former Red Sox starter? Max Fried and Charlie Morton are gone. Spencer Strider will be back, but unlikely by Opening Day. Sale was the best pitcher in the National League last year, but the 2024 season was the first time he logged more than 20 starts since 2019. It was also the first time Reynaldo López was a full-time starter in four years, and his body started to wear down late in a terrific return to the rotation. The Braves should be excited about the follow-up campaign for Spencer Schwellenbach, and it’s more than reasonable to expect AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep or one of their young arms to take a leap forward. Still, this is a team that has done nothing of note this offseason and could use more depth to complete a thinned-out rotation.

If the Braves want to keep the honor of the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors, Pivetta would help. He pitched much better in 2024 than his 6-12 record or 4.14 ERA would indicate (his expected ERA was 3.51), putting together the 10th-best K/BB ratio among all starters with at least 100 innings. The qualifying offer he rejected could be a hold-up in finding a new team, but perhaps the Braves — who will be getting a compensation pick after Fried went to the Yankees — would be a willing suitor. — Kavner

8. RP Carlos Estévez: Arizona Diamondbacks

After shocking the industry with the Corbin Burnes signing, the D-backs need to shore up their bullpen depth before spring training rolls around. Their relievers recorded a 4.41 bullpen ERA that ranked 25th in baseball last year and now that they lost Paul Sewald to free agency, the need to supplement the relief corps with a top closer or setup man is pretty apparent. Lucky for them, Estévez is flying a bit under the radar while Tanner Scott remains unsigned. But the former Angels and Phillies closer could be a steal for the cost-conscious D-backs. 

A two- or three-year deal with the 32-year-old Estévez should only cost the D-backs around $9-10 million per year, whereas Scott is likely looking for a deal with an AAV upwards of $10 million. Estévez’s 57 saves and 3.22 ERA since 2023 indicate that he’ll provide the back-end reliability they need to contend in 2025. Arizona has solid internal bullpen options like southpaw A.J. Puk and right-handers Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel, but general manager Mike Hazen indicated at December’s winter meetings that he’d like to add someone else to the mix. Estévez’s hard-throwing, high-leverage experience should be the answer. — Thosar

7. INF Ha-Seong Kim: New York Yankees

Despite the flurry of needle-moving additions the Yankees made after they lost Juan Soto to the Mets, they still have a major hole in the infield following the departure of longtime second baseman Gleyber Torres. The Bronx Bombers need more guys who can get on base and create runs, and that’s where Kim can come in and put his savvy baserunning to use. Plus, his excellent plate discipline (18.6% chase rate in the 98th percentile, per Baseball Savant) will do wonders if he’s batting alongside Aaron Judge.

Kim’s high baseball IQ and defensive versatility and prowess would be a breath of fresh air for a Yankees team that ranked 30th in FanGraphs’ baserunning metrics in 2024 and routinely suffered from defensive miscues, poor fundamentals, and mental lapses in the infield (see: the World Series). The Yankees don’t need more flashy free-agent signings now; they need a dynamic jack-of-all-trades Gold Glover like Kim who can quietly transform their offensive production. — Thosar

6. OF Jurickson Profar: Kansas City Royals

A more traditional slugger in the middle of the order wouldn’t hurt, but in the cavernous domain of Kauffman Stadium, a player who can get on base at a high clip and lengthen the lineup might be more important to help jump-start the Royals offense. Adding Jonathan India was a start, but more needs to be done for a team that last year ranked 19th in on-base percentage and had the second-lowest OPS out of the leadoff spot. More specifically, they need more pop in an outfield that ranked in the bottom two in every slash-line category last season. Profar should provide a boost in every regard.

While his breakout season seemed to come out of nowhere at age 31, it wasn’t just luck. Profar hit the ball harder than ever before and chased and whiffed less than ever before. Whether Profar can replicate his power numbers remains to be seen, but he has always been someone with a keen eye for the strike zone and would represent a difference-making upgrade from the pieces in place. — Kavner

5. RP Tanner Scott: Chicago Cubs

All 30 teams could use a reliever of Scott’s caliber at the back end of the bullpen. So, sure, the odds might be better that the most coveted closer on the market ends up with the Dodgers or Mets — who are both interested in Scott — than the Cubs, who finally got the superstar they’ve needed only to now be arguing over a couple million dollars in arbitration with Kyle Tucker. They’ve yet to open up the pocketbooks in a significant way this winter, but they’re now off Cody Bellinger’s contract and should have considerable room to add before they even approach their 2024 payroll or the first CBT threshold. It would be inexcusable to save all that money and end up with Matthew Boyd as their biggest pitching addition.

You could make the argument they’d be better off using the extra room to continue making depth moves rather than one big reliever splash, but given how uncertain the closer role was last season, Scott could help balance a righty-heavy bullpen that needs more proven commodities and help take the late-inning weight off 23-year-old Porter Hodge. If they only have Tucker for one season, it’s especially important that they strike now as they seek to end their four-year playoff drought in a winnable division. — Kavner

4. SP Jack Flaherty: Detroit Tigers

The emergence of Tarik Skubal as a Certified Ace™ (and of course, reigning AL Cy Young/triple crown winner) is a source of luxury for the Tigers rotation, but their magical postseason run was cut short, in part, because they severely lacked a dependable, experienced arm behind Skubal. Now, Detroit only has to look as far back as last summer to find a solution in Flaherty. 

He thrived alongside Skubal in the four months he spent in Motown, posting a 2.95 ERA before being traded to the Dodgers. The Tigers need a more reliable 1-2 punch in their staff to make the most of their exciting, youth-driven window of contention. Flaherty is the only free-agent starting pitcher in his 20s outside of Sasaki, and he’s coming off some really mixed results in the 2024 postseason. He was better for the Dodgers in the regular season and hurled a gem in the NLCS opener, so the upside is certainly there. The Tigers could point to his successful track record in Detroit and perhaps convince him to accept a short-term deal that would make sense for both sides. — Thosar

3. OF Anthony Santander: Toronto Blue Jays

Santander is sort of the Alonso of the outfield market. It’s not a perfect comparison — Santander doesn’t barrel the ball as often and chases more (while whiffing less) than Alonso — but the two players both belt a ton of homers without providing much with their gloves or their legs. For the Blue Jays, though, Santander’s power bat fills a clear need. Toronto’s outfielders had the fifth-lowest slugging percentage in the majors last year, and only four teams hit fewer homers than the Blue Jays.

Toronto has been linked to several top free agents each of the past couple years and whiffed. This offseason, the Blue Jays have yet to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or do anything to impact the power shortage that has held the offense back. They’re running out of time to strike with this core, but adding Santander would represent a meaningful step forward toward relevance. Over the past three years, only five hitters — Alonso, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber and Matt Olson — have launched more home runs than Santander. — Kavner

2. 1B Pete Alonso: New York Mets

The number of teams who need a first baseman with Alonso’s skill set are dwindling. The Astros and Yankees signed their answers at the spot in Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt, respectively. The Diamondbacks filled the vacancy left by Walker by trading for Josh Naylor. The Nationals traded for Nate Lowe and signed Josh Bell.

The Giants and Mariners could both use the right-handed power at first base, but San Francisco already forfeited its second- and fifth-highest selections in the 2025 draft after signing Willy Adames, who had a qualifying offer attached. If the Giants signed Alonso, they’d also forfeit their third- and sixth-highest selections after exceeding the luxury-tax threshold last year at a time when their farm system could use an injection of talent. The Mariners seem unlikely to pay what would be required for Alonso, and if he signs a short-term deal to re-establish his value — say, a structure similar to Cody Bellinger’s last year — it’s unlikely that T-Mobile Park would be an attractive venue. 

The Mets might be better off signing Alex Bregman and bumping Mark Vientos to first base, but as currently constructed, a return to Queens for Alonso seems like the logical fit. — Kavner

1. 3B Alex Bregman: Boston Red Sox

Just like last year, when we all thought Juan Soto would flourish with Yankee Stadium’s short porch, Bregman and the Green Monster have always seemed like a perfect match. Boston’s lefty-heavy lineup needs a power-mashing righty to take advantage of that towering left field, and Bregman’s penchant for crushing home runs over the Crawford Boxes should translate well at Fenway Park. He’d also represent a notable defensive upgrade at third base over Rafael Devers, who could slide over to first or DH. Moreover,  he Red Sox would get the public-facing, face-of-the-franchise competitor they’ve been seeking long term.

Bregman is five years removed from his best season (41 home runs, 1.1015 OPS, 8.9 bWAR) in 2019, and has racked up a lot of mileage before entering free agency (he’ll reach 5,000 career plate appearances sometime in May 2025). But he remains one of the top all-around players and one of the few remaining available difference-makers in baseball. The Red Sox have the capital — and perhaps even the desperation — to get this deal done. — Thosar

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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LiAngelo Ball finally made it.

No, the middle Ball brother didn’t sign a contract with an NBA team, but he did sign a $13 million deal with Def Jam following the success of his viral song “Tweaker,” which has taken over locker rooms across sports and is slowly climbing up its way on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Ball is far from the only athlete to find success in the music industry, but the massive popularity of his song puts him in an interesting place in athlete-turned-musician history.

Here are the top 10 athletes who had successful music careers:

10. Barry Zito

Barry Zito didn’t just throw heat on the mound — his stuff was good in the studio, too.

Zito, a World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants and Cy Young Award winner with the Oakland Athletics, released a six-song country music EP in 2017 titled “No Secrets.” The project didn’t receive any type of critical acclaim, but it did open doors for Zito in the musical world, like co-writing a song for an Eddie Murphy film and getting invited to be on FOX’s “The Masked Singer” as “Rhino.”

Zito’s crowning achievement as a musician, however, might be performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Athletics’ final home game at the Oakland Coliseum. How can you not be romantic about baseball?

9. Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya: world-famous boxer and … Grammy-nominated singer?

That’s right: in 2000, De La Hoya released a self-titled Latin pop record through EMI International that was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammys in 2001. De La Hoya lost to global superstar Shakira, but the album still had massive success, even getting certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006.

Despite the album’s critical acclaim, De La Hoya never released a follow-up. He did, however, make his return to the stage on FOX’s “The Masked Dancer” as “Zebra” and finished in fourth place!

8. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant mastered nearly everything he attempted in his lifetime. He won five NBA championships and two Finals MVPs in his 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers; he won the Oscar for best animated short film in 2017; and he made his mark in the energy drink business as an investor in Body Armor.

The one thing Bryant fell short of was being a rap star. In 2000, Sony Entertainment planned to release Bryant’s debut album, “Visions,” but it was shelved due to the poor reception of his debut single, “K.O.B.E,” despite him performing it at All-Star Weekend and it featuring supermodel Tyra Banks.

Still, Bryant’s music credits include Destiny’s Child and Brian McKnight. How many other athletes can say that?

7. Deion Sanders

Between Deion Sanders’ success as a player and a coach, it’s easy to forget that he had a moderately successful rap career — but he did.

Sanders released his debut album, “Prime Time,” in 1994 on MC Hammer’s Bust It Records. The album didn’t reach any notable highs on the charts, but the lead singles — “Must Be the Money” and “Prime Time Keeps on Ticking” — gained a cult following and even made it onto “Saturday Night Live” when Sanders hosted the show in 1995, following the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl win.

6. Roy Jones Jr.

If you’re not familiar with Roy Jones Jr., the world champion boxer and rapper, you might be familiar with his rap group, the Body Head Bangerz.

In 2004, three years after the recording of his solo album, “Round One: The Album,” Jones formed a hip-hip group called Body Head Bangerz with Magic, Choppa, Snappa and Bone Crusher. The group released their debut album the same year, which had a few big-name features, including Juvenile and Petey Pablo.

The breakout singles from that project, though, were “I Smoke, I Drank” and “Can’t Be Touched,” the latter of which made its mark on pop culture through athlete hype tapes. “I Smoke, I Drank” peaked at No. 25 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.

5. Bernie Williams

In addition to being a four-time World Series champion and a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, New York Yankees legend Bernie Williams is also an accomplished jazz guitarist.

Williams, who attended a performance arts school in Puerto Rico as a teenager called Escuela Libre de Musica, released two jazz albums during his playing career. The second, “Moving Forward,” spent five consecutive weeks at the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart and was nominated for Best Instrumental Album at the Latin Grammys in 2009.

Williams got to play for his home fans at Yankee Stadium in 2014, when he performed a classical guitar rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” for Derek Jeter’s final game.

4. LiAngelo Ball

Outside the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, LiAngelo Ball might be the most talked-about rapper in the world right now — seriously.

The Detroit Lions celebrated their historic finish in the NFC North with Ball’s hit song; the Cleveland Cavaliers have blasted it in their locker room and over the stadium speakers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse; three-fourths of the “Inside the NBA” crew knows the words to the song; and local news broadcasts are sneaking it into their segments.

It’s a phenomenon, with 8.7 million views on YouTube and almost 100K units sold. We’ll see if he can use that momentum to have a successful second single, or if he’ll be one-and-done.

3. Dana Barros

Dana Barros’ rap career was similar to his NBA career: it burned bright, but not for very long.

Barros, an NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1995 and the league’s Most Improved Player the same year, was the breakout star of “B-Ball’s Best Kept Secret,” a compilation album of songs by NBA players in 1994.

Barros was featured on the track “Check It,” and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest rappers in NBA history.

What started off as a fun social media trend turned into an impressive body of work for Damian Lillard, a.k.a. Dame D.O.L.L.A.

Lillard first established himself as a rapper by participating in “Four Bar Friday” on Instagram, and after gaining some popularity as an artist, he released his first full-length project, “The Letter O,” which peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B and Hip-Hop Albums charts.

Since then, he’s worked with household names like Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Ty Dolla $ign.

1. Shaquille O’Neal

Shaq wasn’t just the most dominant big man ever — he might also be the most dominant athlete-turned-rapper of all time.

Shaq released five studio albums, the first of which, “Shaq Diesel,” reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. His follow-up albums didn’t reach the same heights as his debut, but that didn’t scare off any collaborators. His third studio album, “You Can’t Stop the Reign,” featured rap icons The Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, Nas and Mobb Deep.

Oh, and did we mention he’s featured on a Michael Jackson record?

Shaq’s rapping days are (mostly) over, but his music career is still going strong as DJ Diesel, an act that has taken him to some of the biggest music festivals in the world, including Coachella.

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