Top 100 athletes in Jacksonville-area sports history: 11-20

The Times-Union recognizes the top 100 athletes in the sports history of Jacksonville and surrounding counties, continuing with Nos. 11-20.

20. TIM TEBOW/FOOTBALL

Age: 36

High school: Nease

College: Florida

Accomplishments: One of the most decorated players to ever come out of the Florida football program, he helped the Gators to two NCAA titles and became the first player to win a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2007 despite the Gators losing three regular-season games. … A first-round NFL draft pick (No. 25 overall, 2010) of the Denver Broncos, he had his best game by throwing for a career-high 316 yards in a 29-23 playoff win in a 2011 AFC wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, connecting with Demaryius Thomas on an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime. … Tebow’s pro career declined rapidly after the New England Patriots routed Denver 45-10 the following week, as he was traded to the New York Jets in March 2012 once the Broncos acquired Peyton Manning and he never regained a starting job. … Accuracy struggles (completing just 47.9 percent of his passes in 35 games and 14 starts for 2,422 yards) hampered his NFL career. … Had brief preseason stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Patriots, but never made the 53-man roster, and a football comeback with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a tight end in 2021 also ended in his preseason release. … His college career, however, was one of the most prolific in NCAA history: Besides winning a Heisman and finishing third as a senior in 2009, while receiving the most first-place votes, Tebow was also a three-time recipient of the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. … He captured the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards in 2007, then the Maxwell honor again in 2008 when he led Florida to a second national championship during his tenure, beating Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS title game. … First player in NCAA history to pass and run for at least 20 touchdowns in the same season in 2007. … As a freshman backup to Chris Leak in 2006, he played a key role during UF’s national title run by accounting for all three TDs in a 23-10 win over No. 9-ranked LSU, including a jump-pass touchdown to Tate Casey that remains an iconic highlight. … When his college career ended, he held five NCAA and 14 SEC records and accounted for 145 touchdowns (88 passing, 57 rushing). … UF’s all-time leader in total offense with 12,232 yards, he led the Gators in rushing three times (2007-09) and his 2,947 yards remains the sixth-most in school history. … His 57 rushing TDs far eclipses second-place Emmitt Smith (36), the NFL’s all-time rushing leader. … Tebow’s 88 passing TDs (tied with Leak) are second only to 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel (114), and he’s also UF’s career leader in passing efficiency (170.8, minimum 500 completions) and lowest interception percentage (1.61). … Finished with Gators’ highest career completion percentage (66.4 percent) until Kyle Trask (2016-20) set the new mark at 67.9. … After his NFL career ended, Tebow gave professional baseball a try with the New York Mets organization, playing four seasons (2016-19) at every level. … Despite a 10-year absence from playing competitively, Tebow lasted 306 games in the minor leagues, batting .221 with 18 home runs and 101 RBI. … At Nease, he led the Panthers to the Class 4A state championship in 2005 in a 44-37 shootout win over two-time defending champion Seffner Armwood, earning All-First Coast player of the year honors with 3,420 yards passing, 32 touchdowns through the air, 1,085 yards rushing and 21 ground touchdowns. … Tebow accounted for six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) and 390 total yards in the final. … Passed for 4,304 yards and 44 touchdowns as a junior in 2004. … For his prep career, he had 9,940 passing yards (95 TDs) and 3,169 rushing yards (63 TDs). … A home-schooled athlete who played for Trinity Christian as a freshman before lining up for Nease, he was two-time Florida Player of the Year and one of 33 players named to the FHSAA All-Century team. … Inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Florida Ring of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Deserving because: Despite an abbreviated NFL career, Tebow’s spectacular performance at the highest level of college football was probably the most impactful of any athlete on the top-100 list. Due to the high-profile nature of the quarterback position, it raised his ranking — among the most difficult to gauge — higher than many other athletes who had better careers at the pro level.

On why his biggest challenge now is to try to be more passionate about helping to save disadvantaged and neglected children, through his charitable foundation, than winning football games as a quarterback: “If I did all that effort for a game, shouldn’t I be willing to do so much more for this, for all of these MVPs (Most Vulnerable People)? I hope I don’t get to the end of my life or heaven and think, ‘Man, my greatest effort was for a game.’ I hope my greatest effort are for the things that matter most.” — Tim Tebow, in a June exclusive interview with the Times-Union.

Where he is now: Tebow lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, a South African model and Miss Universe 2017. He serves as a football analyst on the SEC Network, but devotes most of his time to the Tim Tebow Foundation. His charity operates in over 90 countries around the world, serving mostly children with dire medical needs and victims of human trafficking and exploitation. TTF also puts on a “Night To Shine” event, an annual prom around Valentine’s Day for special-needs kids.

19. KEN WALSH/SWIMMING

Age: 79

High School: Fletcher

College: Michigan State

Accomplishments: A 1968 Olympian, he won gold medals in the 400-meter freestyle relay and 400-meter medley relay and a silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle. … Also set the world record (52.6) in the 100 free on July 27, 1967, at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg. … Captured the silver medal (52.8) at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City despite qualifying seventh out of eight swimmers in the 100 free preliminaries. Finished between winner Michael Wenden (52.2) of Australia and ahead of future seven-time gold medal winner Mark Spitz (53.0). … Finished second at the Olympic Trials in the 100 free behind Spitz. … Swam the anchor leg in both Olympic relays as the U.S. team set world records. … Won the freestyle relay with Zac Zorn, Stephen Rerych and Spitz in a time of 3:31.7, and won the medley relay with Charles Hickox, Donald McKenzie and Douglas Russell in a time of 3:54.9. … Became the first Jacksonville male swimmer to set a world record at the 1967 Pan Am Games, eclipsing the previous record of 52.9, held jointly by Steve Clark and Alain Gottvalles. … Walsh’s record stood until Wenden’s Olympic-winning swim. … Also captured gold medals in both 400-meter relays at the 1967 Pan Am Games. … At Michigan State, he won the NCAA title in the 100-yard free in 1967 and was named All-American, and also captured three Big Ten championships in the event. … Entered Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2010. … At Fletcher, he won the Class A 50-yard freestyle state title in 1962 in 23.0 seconds, leading the Senators to a second-place finish. … Captured the Class 2A 200-yard freestyle state title in 1963 in state-record time of 1:50.1 as Fletcher finished third in team competition. … First swimmer to make the All-County team for four years. … Named High School All-American in his last two years.

Deserving because: Though he swam in an era when the United States was more dominant in swimming, winning two gold medals and a silver in one Olympics is a big deal regardless of the circumstances. Shaving three-tenths of a second off a world record at the 100-meter distance gives him the complete resume.

On watching the evolution of swimming compared to his competitive days: “I had a great start back at Fletcher with (former coach) Wimpy Sutton, who got me on MSU’s team, and the rest was kind of history. But everybody now, they’re all so much faster now that it’s incredible. It’s so impressive watching Ryan (Murphy), Caeleb (Dressel), the whole gang.” — Ken Walsh.

Where he is now: For the past 50 years, Walsh has lived on the north shore of Oahu in Hawaii, and he’s enjoyed a prime vantage point on the world’s greatest swimmers as a camera operator for NBC at every Olympic swimming event from 1992 to 2016. He entered the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame in 2018.

18. LEEROY YARBROUGH/Auto Racing

Age: Deceased

High School: Paxon

College: None

Accomplishments: Veteran driver under car owner Junior Johnson had a phenomenal year on the 1969 NASCAR circuit, winning seven superspeedway races and NASCAR Driver of the Year honors. … In 1969, he won the Daytona 500, Firecracker 400, World 600, Southern 500, Rebel 400, Dixie 500 and American 500 and led NASCAR’s money list that year with $188,605. … Earned his first win at the Savannah 200 in 1964. … After suffering head injuries in a testing crash in 1970 at Texas International Speedway, crashing again in open-wheel practice for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 and nearly dying from Rocky Mountain spotted fever, he returned for his final season in 1972 and had several top-10 finishes, including fourth at Darlington. … Began his career racing on the dirt tracks in Jacksonville. … An Indy 500 qualifier in 1967, 1969 and 1970, he placed his car on the third row for the 1969 race, but his Vollstedt-Ford failed to fire on the grid and a split header forced him to drop out after 65 laps. … In 198 Winston Cup career races from 1960-72, he won 14 events, including 11 on superspeedways, and also had 64 top-five finishes and 92 in top 10. … Finished with career earnings of $450,679 and captured 11 pole positions. … Inducted into Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Deserving because: Though his driving prime was brief, his 1969 season ranks up there with the feats of the greatest drivers of all time. His off-the-track problems shortened his career and kept him from a higher ranking, but there’s no disputing his remarkable talent.

On Yarbrough: “He would have gone down as one of the great race drivers that ever lived. He had an awful lot of talent. He was the kind of man that wanted to be successful and he did it every time on the race track.” — Cale Yarborough, former NASCAR driver, for 1999 T-U series.

Where he is now: Died in Jacksonville at age 46 on Dec. 7, 1984.

17. KEN BURROUGH/FOOTBALL

Age: Deceased

High School: Northwestern, Raines

College: Texas Southern

Accomplishments: A first-round draft pick (10th overall) of the New Orleans Saints in 1970, he played there one season and spent the remaining 11 years of his career as a receiver with the Houston Oilers. … Finished his NFL career with 421 catches, 7,102 yards and 50 touchdowns. … Ranks third for the Oilers/Titans franchise in career receiving yardage (6,907), seventh in career receptions (408) and tied for second with Drew Hill and Haywood Jeffires in career TD receptions (47). … A two-time Pro Bowl pick (1975, 1977) and a second-team All-Pro selection in 1977. … He led the AFC in receiving yards in both of his Pro Bowl years, and was Oilers’ top receiver a record seven times (1974-79, 1981) with 14 100-yard receiving games. … Traded by New Orleans with Dave Rowe on Jan. 26, 1971, to Houston for Hoyle Granger, Terry Stoepel and Charles Blossom. … Breakout season was 1975 with career highs in catches (53), yards (1,063) and TDs (8). … Followed up with 51-catch, 932-yard season in 1976 and 43-catch, 816-yard season in 1977. … Had a career-high 180 yards receiving in 47-0 win over Chicago Bears on Nov. 6, 1977. … In Houston’s drive to 1978 AFC Championship Game, caught six passes for 103 yards in 17-9 wild-card playoff win over Miami and triggered a 31-14 divisional playoff victory over New England the following week by catching a 71-yard TD pass to open the scoring. … Had 40 catches for 752 yards in 1979 when Houston returned to AFC Championship Game, but didn’t catch a pass in the postseason. … At Texas Southern, he finished his college career with 173 catches for 2,954 yards and 19 touchdowns. … Still the fourth-leading receiver in school history. … First-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference in 1968 and 1969 and All-American in 1969. … Led the SWAC with 61 catches and 1,078 yards in 1968, then had 49 receptions for 750 yards in 1969. … Led Raines to an 8-1-1 record and the Big 9 North Conference title in its 1965 debut as Vikings’ starting quarterback.

Deserving because: He gave Oilers the consistent deep-threat receiver they needed to complement Earl Campbell’s running and enabled Houston to become an AFC contender. Double-zero was double trouble for a lot of NFL secondaries.

On Burrough: “Burrough had 9.4 or 9.5 speed. When he came over to Raines from Northwestern, he had the starting quarterback job sewn up. He was a track star and a good basketball player, too. I watched him for two years at Northwestern. In my opinion, they didn’t get maximum use of him at quarterback or wide receiver. Getting him was a dream come true.” — Earl Kitchings Sr., former Raines head football coach, for 1999 T-U series.

Where he is now: Died in Jacksonville at age 73 on Feb. 24, 2022.

16. VINCE COLEMAN/BASEBALL

Age: 62

High School: Raines

College: Florida A&M

Accomplishments: The two-time National League All-Star finished his 13-year career with 752 stolen bases, sixth on the all-time list, as a leadoff-hitting outfielder for Cardinals (1985-90), Mets (1991-93), Royals (1994-95), Mariners (1995), Reds (1996) and Tigers (1997). … Batted .264 with 1,425 hits, 849 runs and 346 RBI, winning six consecutive NL stolen base titles (1985-90) and stealing 50 consecutive times successfully before getting thrown out by Expos’ Nelson Santovenia. … Drafted by St. Louis as an outfielder in the 10th round in 1982, he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1985 by hitting .267, stealing 110 bases and scoring 107 runs. … Helped St. Louis win NL pennant, but missed 1985 World Series after a tarp-rolling machine injured his foot. … Stole 107 bases in 1986 and 109 in 1987, the first player to swipe at least 100 bases in his first three MLB seasons. … Batted .289 in 1987 as Cardinals returned to World Series, hitting .269 with seven hits and four RBI in NLCS victory over Giants. … Had one single in two at-bats and a steal in 1988 All-Star Game. … Injuries limited his three-year stay with Mets (99 total steals), who traded him to Royals, where he batted .240 with 50 stolen bases in 1994. … Played 73 games in 1995, batting .287 with 26 steals, before moving to Mariners and hitting .290 with 16 steals to help Seattle rally past Angels for first-ever playoff berth. … MVP of South Atlantic League in 1983, batting a league-leading .350 and stole a single-season professional record 145 bases for Class-A Macon. … At Florida A&M, he owned a .343 career batting average and led Division I in stolen bases with 63 steals in 62 games in 1981, stealing seven bases in one game against Alabama State. … Drafted by Philadelphia Phillies that year in the 20th round, but stayed in school. … In football, kicked a 34-yard field goal with 3:49 to go in FAMU’s 16-13 upset of Miami in 1982. … Named Black College All-America punter in 1981, averaging 41.1 yards. … Entered Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

Deserving because: Among the most explosive base stealers ever, he was a pitcher’s nightmare and the catalyst on two National League-pennant winning teams with St. Louis under Whitey Herzog.

On Coleman: “He could have been better than I was (as a punter). He had so much raw and underdeveloped talent. He was just starting to come into his own, just starting to understand what the whole punting game was about when his baseball game flourished.” — Greg Coleman, cousin and former NFL punter who preceded him at Raines and Florida A&M, for 1999 T-U series.

Where he is now: Coleman currently lives in the San Diego area, after several stints as a baserunning coach with organizations including the Cubs, White Sox and Giants.

15. DANIEL MURPHY/BASEBALL

Age: 39

High school: Englewood

College: Jacksonville University

Accomplishments: A three-time All-Star infielder, once with the New York Mets and twice with the Washington Nationals, he broke into MLB in 2008 with the Mets and remained a consistent presence in the lineup for 12 seasons on four different teams. … Finished his MLB career with a .296 average, 138 home runs and 735 RBI, collecting 1,572 hits in 1,452 games with totals of .341 on-base percentage, .455 slugging percentage and .796 OPS. … Hit .309 with eight HRs and 19 RBI in 25 playoff games. … Murphy was having a breakout year in 2011, sporting the third-highest batting average in the National League at .320, when he sustained a season-ending knee injury in a collision with the Atlanta Braves’ Jose Constanza. … He had a career-high 188 hits in 2013 and then made his first All-Star team in 2014, playing mostly second base and also seeing action at third. … Murphy gained immortality in Mets lore with a monster 2015 postseason, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit a homer in six consecutive playoff games. … Named MVP of the NLCS series win over the Chicago Cubs before New York lost to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. … After signing as a free agent with the Nationals, Murphy had a career year in 2016 by hitting .347 with 25 home runs and 104 RBI, finishing second in the NL MVP voting to the Cubs’ Kris Bryant. … Despite battling a knee injury in 2018, his numbers (.320, 25 HR, 93 RBI) earned Murphy his last All-Star honor and a second consecutive Silver Slugger award. … Midway through the following season, after undergoing microfracture surgery and missing two months, he was traded to the Cubs and only played in 35 games. … Murphy finished his last two MLB seasons with the Colorado Rockies, playing almost exclusively at first base. … He retired after the 2020 season, though later staged brief comebacks with the independent Long Island Ducks and the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, a Los Angeles Angels affiliate. … Drafted in the 13th round by the Mets in 2006, Murphy needed only two years to reach the big leagues and had 10 hits in his first 20 at-bats. … In college, where JU was the only four-year school to offer him a scholarship, Murphy hit .398 in 2006 and was named ASUN Player of the Year. … Elected to both the JU and ASUN Hall of Fame in 2016. … Earned second-team All-First Coast honors as an Englewood senior.

Deserving because: His obsession with the science of hitting allowed him to maximize his potential and he became one of the greatest hitters from the Jacksonville area. His significant impact as a dependable left-handed bat had a major impact on both the Mets and Nationals.

On when he became fixated on studying all the intricacies about hitting: “It didn’t feel like I had to study, but I got to observe daily. Lou Gehrig said, ‘Base hits are the greatest joy in a ballplayer’s life.’ That’s what I loved to do was win the battle with the guy 60 feet from me with a base hit. The competition with the pitcher-batter matchup, I really enjoyed.” — Daniel Murphy.

Where he is now: Murphy lives in Jacksonville with his wife Tori, a former All-American softball pitcher at UNF, and their four children (Noah, 10, Quinn, 8, Drew, 6, Jake, 20 months). He devotes most of his time to being a full-time father, but did some commentary at Mets’ games during spring training and also at the July 9 regular-season game against the Nationals.

14. HOWIE KENDRICK/BASEBALL

Age: 41

High school: West Nassau

College: St. John’s River State College

Accomplishments: Drafted in the 10th round by the Los Angeles Angels in 2002, Kendrick made it to the big leagues by 2006 and remained a fixture in their lineup for the next eight years, primarily playing second base and a little bit in the outfield. … Finished with a .294 career batting average, 1,747 hits, 127 homers and 724 RBI, along with a .337 OBP, .455 slugging percentage and .796 OPS over 15 big-league seasons. … Batted over .300 four times (minimum 300 plate appearances) in his career, including a personal best .344 at age 35 in 2019 when Kendrick played a big part in the Washington Nationals’ only World Series title. … He made his lone All-Star team in 2011 when he batted .285 with 18 homers and 63 RBI for the Angels. … After the 2014 season, the Angels traded Kendrick to the Los Angeles Dodgers for left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney. … Traded two more times over the next two-plus seasons, first to the Philadelphia Phillies for a 39-game stint and then to Washington, where he missed most of the 2018 season with a ruptured Achilles. … The following year, Kendrick enjoyed his most satisfying season when he hit a career-high .344 with 17 home runs and 62 RBI, playing three different infield positions. … Had a postseason for the ages in terms of timely hitting: His 10th-inning grand slam won the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, then he earned NLCS MVP with four doubles and four RBI in a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. … In the deciding World Series Game 7, Kendrick hit a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole in the seventh inning to give Washington a 3-2 lead that it never relinquished in a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros. … Kendrick’s home-run ball is now at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., with yellow foul-pole paint on it. … He stayed one more year with the Nationals in a pandemic-shortened season, then retired in December 2020. … After turning pro, Kendrick was named the best Double-A prospect in the Texas League in 2005 by Baseball America. … An undersized player in high school, Kendrick was turned down by two junior colleges before going to SJRSC in Palatka, where he was named conference Player of the Year in 2002. … Named second-team All-First Coast at shortstop as a West Nassau senior.

Deserving because: Kendrick’s amazing baseball journey out of tiny Callahan, with body dimensions of 5-foot-7 and 110 pounds early on in high school, ended with him playing 15 MLB seasons. He appeared in 1,621 MLB games, the most by any Jacksonville-area player.

On the grand slam that beat the Dodgers in the postseason after they walked Juan Soto to pitch to him: “I can’t even describe it. . . . You couldn’t dream of something like that. As a hitter, you’re like, ‘Man, they’re really going to do that.’ You want to make them pay.” — Howie Kendrick, after the Nationals’ 7-3 victory to win the 2019 NLDS.

Where he is now: Kendrick is currently special assistant to Philadelphia Phillies general manager Sam Fuld. In the offseason, he and his wife, Jody, live with their two sons in Paradise Valley, Ariz.

13. JONATHAN PAPELBON/BASEBALL

Age: 43

High school: Bishop Kenny

College: Mississippi State

Accomplishments: A dominant and intense closer selected to six All-Star Games, Papelbon pitched with Boston (2005-11), Philadelphia (2012-15) and Washington (2015-16) to rank 11th on Major League Baseball’s all-time saves list with 368. … Finished 41-36 for his career with 689 games (686 in relief), 725 2/3 innings pitched, 572 hits allowed, 185 walks, 808 strikeouts and a career WHIP of 1.043. … Made All-Star games in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2015. … Recorded eight 30-save seasons from 2006-12 and again in 2014, with a high of 37 in 2008. … Posted sub-2.00 ERAs three times (0.92 in 2006, 1.85 in both 2007 and 2009) and allowed less than a runner per inning five times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014). … Runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year to Justin Verlander in 2006. … Won the World Series with the Red Sox in 2007, saving three games. … Made 17 consecutive scoreless postseason appearances until his last playoff game, Game 3 of the 2009 ALDS against the Angels. … Ended 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA and seven saves in 18 playoff games. … Earned the win in the 2009 All-Star Game. … In Red Sox history, leads franchise with 219 saves, and his Win Probability Added stat ranks behind only Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Lefty Grove among Boston pitchers. … Selected in the fourth round (No. 114) of the 2003 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State. … Played college baseball at Mississippi State from 2001-03, recording 13 saves in 61 games and winning the 2001 SEC Tournament. … Lining up at both pitcher and outfield, he helped Bishop Kenny to the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state semifinals in 1999.

Deserving because: The closer role is pure pressure baseball, and Papelbon stared down that pressure like few other relievers of his generation. No Jacksonville pitcher has delivered a comparable impact in MLB.

On entering the Red Sox Hall of Fame alongside right fielder Trot Nixon and second baseman Dustin Pedroia: “For me to be inducted with those two types of players means the world to me. I viewed myself as an everyday player. I wanted to affect the game 75 to 80 times a season. I didn’t want to go out and pitch once every fifth day.” — Jonathan Papelbon, at his Fenway Park induction ceremony in May.

Where he is now: Still connected to the Red Sox franchise that he helped to World Series victory, Papelbon has made the transition to the media side, where he’s a commentator for the New England Sports Network’s “Unobstructed Views” and also appears on the Foul Territory podcast.

12. LEONARD (TRUCK) ROBINSON/BASKETBALL

Age: 72

High School: Raines

College: Tennessee State

Accomplishments: A two-time All-Star who played 11 NBA seasons with Washington Bullets (1974-77), Atlanta Hawks (1977), New Orleans Jazz (1977-79), Phoenix Suns (1979-82) and New York Knicks (1982-85), Robinson scored 11,988 points and grabbed 7,267 rebounds in his pro career. … A second-round draft pick (22nd overall) of the Bullets in 1974, he also averaged 8.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 74 career playoff games. … Backup rookie forward on Bullets’ NBA runner-up team in 1974-75, averaging 5.8 and 4.0 rebounds per game. … Traded to Hawks midway through 1976-77 for Tom Henderson, then signed by Jazz and made All-NBA first team while winning the 1977-78 league rebounding title (22.7 points, 15.7 rebounds). … Averaged 21.1 points and 11.6 rebounds in 1978-79, split between Jazz and Suns with February trade for Marty Byrnes, Ronnie Lee and a No. 1 draft pick. … Also an All-Star in 1980-81 (18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds), then traded to Knicks in July 1982 for Maurice Lucas. … Averaging 9.5 points and 10.8 points over the next two years and retired soon after breaking toe against Houston in 1984-85. … Finished his college career with 2,249 points (20.3 ppg) and 1,501 rebounds (13.5 avg.), both third on Tennessee State’s career charts. … Went 94-19 record in his four TSU seasons (1970-74). … Named Little All-American in 1972-73 with averaged 25.7 points and a school-record 17.6 rebounds per game. … Led team to Division II national championship game, losing 78-76 in overtime to Kentucky Wesleyan. … Led Raines to a 20-5 record in 1968-69 season and Class 2A semifinal berth, averaging 18.7 points and 21 rebounds. … Tallied 26 points and 15 rebounds in 76-59 state semifinal loss to Gainesville.

Deserving because: Nearly 40 years after retirement, still ranks in top 300 in career NBA points and at No. 105 in NBA rebounds. For a six-year period, The Truck delivered the goods in the toughest league in major professional sports.

On Robinson’s multiple talents and impact at Raines: “People knew him as Truck, but at Raines we also called him Foots, because he had these big feet and he played on the football team as this straight-on kicker. Everybody talks about his basketball prowess, yes. But he was so talented, with a sweet spirit, someone who was one of the best in the state but humble enough to reach back and encourage and talk to the freshmen and sophomores.” — Greg Coleman, former Raines teammate and Minnesota Vikings punter.

Where he is now: Robinson is retired and living in the Phoenix area. Last November, the Utah Jazz recognized his achievements on the court alongside former teammates Gail Goodrich and Aaron James before the opening tip against the New Orleans Pelicans.

11. CHANDRA CHEESEBOROUGH-GUICE/TRACK

Age: 65

High School: Ribault

College: Tennessee State

Accomplishments: A three-time U.S. Olympic team member, she won a silver medal in the 400-meter dash at the 1984 Olympics and gold medals in the 400 and 1,600 relays. … Tied Valerie Brisco-Hooks for the most medals won in the 1984 Summer Games by a female track and field participant. … Took silver in the 400 (49.05), just .22 of a second behind Brisco-Hooks, anchored the gold medal-winning 4×400 relay in an Olympic-record 3:18.29 and ran third leg on the victorious 4×100-meter relay (41.65). … Set an American record at the 1984 Olympic Trials in 400 (49.28), broken at the Olympics by Brisco-Hooks. … Qualified for her first Olympics in 1976 at Montreal at age 17, finishing sixth in the 100. … Won a gold medal in the 200 at the 1975 Pan American Games. … Made the 1980 Olympic team, but didn’t compete because of U.S. boycott. … After nearly a four-year layoff from competition, she attempted a comeback at 1992 Olympic Trials in 400, but finished sixth in semifinal heat in New Orleans. … Inducted into National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. … At Ribault, she won the 100- and 220-yard dash state titles each year from 1975-77, including still-standing national high school records in 1977 in the 100 (10.3) and 220 (23.3). … Also won 1977 state long jump (19 feet, 11 1/4 inches), helping Trojans to FHSAA team titles in 1976 and 1977. … In seventh grade, she ran the 100-yard dash in 10.8 seconds, and two years later, she anchored a Ribault Junior High boys relay team to a Duval County title. … Inducted into National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2000, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Deserving because: In the demanding sprints, she sustained an international level of excellence spanning a decade-long period. Had the U.S. not boycotted the 1980 Games, her Olympic medal collection might be even more impressive.

On her road to the head coaching job at Tennessee State: “I had been a volunteer assistant at Ribault and then went to coach at Lee High School for a year when coach (Ed) Temple (her coach at Tennessee State) called to ask if I’d apply. I initially said I didn’t want to go back to Nashville, but he called back later and had (former Olympic gold medalist) Wilma Rudolph with him to encourage me to apply. I couldn’t say no to her. So I applied and ended up getting the job among 44 applicants and I’m still here.” — Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice.

Where she is now: She lives in Hendersonville, Tenn., just outside of Nashville, with her husband, Walter Guice, and has two adult-age daughters. Cheeseborough is entering her 30th season at Tennessee State University, her alma mater, where she is director of women’s and men’s track and field. A nine-time Ohio Valley Conference coach of the year, she has also coached at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 IAAF World Championships.