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Holy playmakers, Batman! That's right we did it, after much research in our bat cave we've come up with a list of the best sidekicks in sports history. Because like Kato and the Green Hornet or Bert and Ernie, where would the greatest number ones in sports be without a loyal sidekick? With the likes of the NBA all-time assists leader and one of the best skinny-post route runners the to grace the gridiron, our list of Robins contains the guys who were always dependable and sometimes even took center stage when it mattered most in the biggest games (see Richard Dent in the '85 postseason). So without further ado, we bring you The 25 Greatest Sidekicks in Sports History.
25. John Starks
Athlete They Complemented: Patrick Ewing
Years Together and Championships Won: 8 Seasons (1990-1998), 0 Championships
Career Span: 1988-2002
Individual Accolades: 1994 NBA All-Star, 1997 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 1994 NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team
John Starks was that pesky yet effective sidekick Patrick Ewing teamed with during his time with the New York Knicks. Starks was undrafted and spent time in the WBL and CBA before signing with the Knicks. While the Knicks were never able to reach the ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship, they were much more competitive and respected around the NBA than they are now. Starks provided toughness, defense, and timely offense on the perimeter for New York and is responsible for one of the greatest highlights in New York Knickerbocker history dunking over Horace Grant and Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
24. Penny Hardaway
Athlete They Complemented: Shaquille O'Neal
Years Together And Championships Won: 3 Seasons (1993-1996), 0 Championships
Career Span: 1993-2007
Individual Accolades: 4x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA All-NBA First Team
Penny and Shaq were the new age combination that brought about a change in style to the NBA. Hardaway's ability to create off the dribble, pass, and score was stunning. Many fans and journalists instantly compared Hardaway to Magic Johnson after Hardaway entered the Association. Hardaway and Shaq formed quite the inside-outside combo, and in their second year together they made the NBA Finals. Despite being swept by Houston, many expected them to have a long reign on top, but Shaq went Hollywood in '96 and Penny was never the same again. Injuries and other factors led to his departure from Orlando and he never could regain the athleticism that made him such a unique player. Somewhere Lil' Penny is playing the violin to this story.
23. Ed Reed
Athlete They Complemented: Ray Lewis
Years Together And Championships Won: 11 Seasons (2002-2012), 0 Championships
Career Span: 2002-Present
Individual Accolades: 8x Pro Bowler & All-Pro, 2004 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Member of 2000s NFL All-Decade Team
Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are the heart and the soul of the Baltimore Ravens defense. Both players have won NFL Defensive Player of the Year. While the Ravens have never advanced past the AFC Championship since they drafted Reed, they have consistently had one of the best defenses in the league. Reed complements the aggressive defense of Baltimore with his ability to make game changing interceptions. Reed has NFL records for the longest interception return ever in a game (108 yards) and the most interception return yardage for a career.
22. Richard Dent
Athlete They Complemented: Mike Singletary
Years Together And Championships Won: 10 Seasons (1983-1992), 1 Super Bowl Championship
Career Span: 1983-1997
Individual Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion, 4x Pro Bowler, 5x All-Pro, MVP of Super Bowl XX
Two essential members of the famed bears defense of the '80s were "Samurai Mike" Singletary, and Richard Dent. Singletary was undoubtedly the tone-setter and heart and soul of this Bears defense, a 10-time Pro Bowler and a two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year. He recorded 109 solo tackles in that magical 15-1 season of '85 and led the Bears No. 1 ranked defense.
Dent however was just as key to the Bears success that year, leading the NFL with 17 sacks and having one of the greatest post seasons in NFL history. Dent was named the MVP of Super Bowl XX with two sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked pass. And who could forget this solo line from the famed Super Bowl Shuffle: "The sackman's comin', I'm your man Dent. If the quarterback's slow, he's gonna get bent..." A true talent in every sense of the word.
21. Chris Sutton
Athlete They Complemented: Alan Shearer
Years Together And Championships Won: 1 Season (1994-1995), 1 League Title
Career Span: 1991-2007
Individual Accolades: 1x Premier League Champion, 3x Scottish Premier League Champion, 1997-98 Premier League Golden Boot
Who? Come on educate yourselves, because we know you've heard of Manchester United, and these two dragon-slayers combined for 46 goals in the '94-'95 season to down the Red Devils and claim the EPL title for the Blackburn Rovers. That season started with the purchase of the most expensive English footballer ever at the time, Chris Sutton, bought for a cool 5 million pounds to play alongside reigning Footballer of the Year, Alan Shearer.
The duo who came to be known as "SAS," and became the perfect partners in front of goal seemingly always in tune with one another's movements and thoughts. Shearer, undoubtedly the Frodo Baggins of the two, snagged 31 goals to young Sutton's 15. Sadly the two only played together one season as Shearer went to Newcastle United in 1996, but oh what a magical season it was. Kind of like the Mcdonald's McRib, gone too soon, but never forgotten.
20. Marvin Harrison
Athlete They Complemented: Peyton Manning
Years Together And Championships Won: 11 Seasons (1998-2008), 1 Championship
Career Span: 1996-2008
Individual Accolades: 2007 Super Bowl Champion, 8x Pro Bowler, 3x All-Pro First Team
Manning to Harrison was up there with one of the best delivery systems since UPS started making moves, call it logistics or maybe the no huddle, there was no debate as to who Peyton Manning's main man was for the long ball. This dynamic duo broke record after record for QBs and WRs and were scary in sync. Unfortunately these two could only pull one ring during their 11 seasons together. And while Peyton Manning was the face of the franchise, until recently that is, he wouldn't have been able to accomplish as much without his best weapon, eight-time Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison.
19. Tony Parker
Athlete They Complemented: Tim Duncan
Years Together And Championships Won: 11 Seasons (2001-2012) 3 Championships
Career Span: 2001-Present
Individual Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 2007 NBA Finals MVP, 4x NBA All-Star, 2012 All-NBA Second Team
The San Antonio Spurs have been the most consistent NBA franchise over the past 20 years. They haven't missed the NBA playoffs since the 1996-97 season. Obviously, most of that is due to the "The Big Fundamental" Tim Duncan. This long stretch of dominance and success has been extended due to his younger supporting star Tony Parker. Parker complemented Duncan perfectly as a quick scoring point guard. Parker might upset coach Gregg Popovich from time to time, but for every mistake he makes, he's bound to disrupt opposing defenses with his forays to the basket. Parker proved his true value to San Antonio when he averaged 24.5 PPG and won NBA Finals MVP in 2007. Parker still goes strong at the age of 30 and still led the Spurs in scoring and assists in 2012.
18. Earl Monroe
Athlete They Complemented: Walt Frazier
Years Together And Championships Won: 6 Seasons (1971-1977), 1 Championship
Career Span: 1967-1980
Individual Accolades: 1968 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion, 4x NBA All-Star, 1x All-NBA, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
Walt "Clyde" Frasier dropped 36 points and 19 assists against the Lakers in Game 7 of the '70 NBA finals to give the Knicks their first NBA championship. A year later the Knicks traded for Earl "the pearl" Monroe creating the "Rolls Royce Backcourt," the two became a model of flamboyancy, just look at Walt's wardrobe choices if you doubt us.
Despite the initial inquiries as to whether or not the tandem could co-exist, Frasier and Monroe became one of the most dynamic backcourts in history and led the team to the '73 NBA title. Clyde always pulled the reins of this Knicks squad but Monroe provided the perfect complement en route to the Knicks second title in four years. And as any knowledgeable Knick fan will point out, they haven't won a championship since.
17. John Taylor
Athlete They Complemented: Joe Montana
Years Together And Championships Won: 6 Seasons (1987-1992), 2 Championships
Career Span: 1987-1995
Individual Accolades: 2x Pro Bowler, 3x Super Bowl Champion, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
Sure everyone knows about Joe Montana and Jerry Rice but it's hard to call either of them a sidekick. John Taylor fit that role perfectly though. He teamed up with Joe Montana to form quite a tandem. Taylor wasn't even the top wide receiver on the 49ers, but he still managed 1,000 yards on two separate occasions. John Taylor is best known for his touchdown catch on a throw from Joe Montana in the final moments of Super Bowl XXIII that led San Francisco to victory.
16. Dwyane Wade
Athlete They Complemented: LeBron James
Years Together And Championships Won: 2 Seasons (2010-2012), 1 Championship
Career Span: 2003-Present
Individual Accolades: 8x NBA All-Star, 2x All-NBA 1st Team, 2 NBA Championships, 2006 NBA Finals MVP
We couldn't do a Batman and Robin series without a feature on Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Just last year everyone was saying that Wade was Batman and LeBron was Robin. After the 2012 playoffs, no one will ever utter those words again. Bron Bron had a 45 points, 15 rebounds, five assist performance in an elimination game that will go down in infamy. Wade dealt with some knee problems in 2012, but still managed to provide a strong supporting role averaging 22.5 PPG, 6 RPG, and 5.2 APG to help lead the Heat to the 2012 NBA championship. If this tandem can win a few more rings they'll no doubt move up this list.
15. Joe Dumars
Athlete They Complemented: Isiah Thomas
Years Together And Championships Won: 9 Seasons (1985-1994), 2 Championships
Career Span: 1985-1999
Individual Accolades: 2x NBA champion, 1989 NBA Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 1993 All NBA-Second Team, 4x NBA All-Defensive 1st team
Arguably the best starting backcourt in NBA history, Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars were great on both sides of the ball. The "Bad Boys" era Pistons were dominant for a solid stretch with a hard-nosed, intimidating, and physical approach on defense.
Isiah was the leader of that squad in every respect, but Joe Dumars was just as important. Dumars usually guarded the elite bigger guards of that era from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson. He was rewarded for his sterling defense making the All-NBA Defensive First Team on four separate occasions. Dumars also won the 1989 NBA Finals MVP, averaging 26.7 PPG in a sweep of the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
14. Don Drysdale
Athlete They Complemented: Sandy Koufax
Years Together And Championships Won: 9 Seasons (1958-1966), 3 World Series Rings
Career Span: 1956-1969
Individual Accolades: 3x World Series Champion, 9x All-Star, 1962 Cy Young Award Winner
This one-two punch might be the greatest front end of a rotation in MLB history and if Don Drysdale was pitching on any other team he'd no doubt be Batman. As fate would have it these two would end up together on the Dodgers dominating for nine years, collecting three World Series rings along the way.
Both Hall of Famers, Drysdale was a nine-time all-star, three-time World Series champ and the '62 Cy Young award winner. Big D (ayo!) was also one of the first pitchers to invent the "brushback" pitch, as his sidearm fastball was used to intimidate and overpower hitters. This guy played the role of sidekick well as he showed numerous times that if you went after one of his teammates, he was taking out three of your guys. Seems even, right? Sandy Koufax, the "Left Hand of God," was a seven-time all-star, four-time World Series champ, three-time Cy Young award winner, two-time World Series MVP, and three-time Triple Crown winner. When this guy called it quits the Hall of Fame came running to him, he remains the youngest player ever inducted to Cooperstown, beating out Lou Gehrig by five months.
13. Michael Irvin
Athlete They Complemented: Troy Aikman
Years Together And Championships Won: 10 Seasons (1989-1999), 3 Super Bowl Championships
Career Span: 1988-1999
Individual Accolades: 5x Pro Bowler, 3x Super Bowl Champion, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
The Dallas Cowboys dominated the 1990s in the NFL. Their offensive attack featured an electric running game with Emmitt Smith. The passing game was equally impressive featuring the amazing quarterback-wide Receiver tandem of Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin. The quarterback usually gets most of the credit, and Aikman usually does get more credit for the success of the Cowboys. Irvin was no slouch either. He was a five-time pro bowler and a Hall of Famer. In Super Bowl XXVII, Irvin scored two touchdowns in a span of 18 seconds, which shows how dominant he was at the peak of his career.
12. Jaromir Jagr
Athlete They Complemented: Mario Lemieux
Years Together And Championships Won: 11 Seasons (1990-2001), 2 Championships
Career Span: 1990-Present
Individual Accolades: 2x Stanley Cup Champion, 9x All-Star, 5x Art Ross Award, 1999 MVP
When you think Jaromir Jagr you don't think sidekick, but when Jags first joined the Penguins in '90 he joined a team that already had a Batman in Mario Lemieux. Lemieux was able to make the most ridiculous of plays seem effortless and when the two teamed up it took them only a season to develop a relationship and win back-to-back Stanley Cups in '91 and '92.
Lemieux, a three time league MVP and ten time All-Star along with numerous other accolades, was said to be the most fluid player on skates. Jagr, a nine-time All-Star, eventually took his talents to Washington and later the Rangers. Pens fans will remember well though the partnership that formed between Jagr and Lemieux en route to winning the club's first two championships.
11. Terrell Davis
Athlete They Complemented: John Elway
Years Together And Championships Won: 3 Seasons (1995-1998), 2 Super Bowl Championships
Career Span: 1995-2001
Individual Accolades: 3x Pro Bowler & All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion, 1998 MVP, 1998 Super Bowl MVP, 2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Member of 2000s NFL All-Decade Team.
In 1995 Terrell Davis was just a sixth-round pick for the Denver Broncos, and in the training camp of his rookie year, Davis won the starting job. From that stretch to 1998, Davis was arguably the most dominant player in the NFL. He won the Offensive Player of the Year twice and won the 1998 Super Bowl MVP. John Elway was the long tenured starting QB of Denver, so that was always his team, but T.D. filled the role of explosive offense that helped propel the Broncos to two consecutive Super Bowls.
10. Venus Williams
Athlete They Complemented: Serena Williams
Years Together And Championships Won: 18 years on tour together (1995-present), 22 Grand-Slam Singles Titles Combined and 13 Grand-Slam Doubles Titles Together
Career Span: 1994-Present
Individual Accolades: 7x Grand Slam Champion, 13x Grand Slam Doubles Champion
When the Williams sisters took the court in the mid '90s they undoubtedly changed the face of women's tennis forever. Venus broke onto the scene first, but she would soon be overshadowed by sister Serena who would go on to win more than twice the number of Grand Slams as her sister and undoubtedly be hailed as the more successful of the two.
While tennis may be an individual sport, Serena would probably be first to say that she wouldn't have gotten as far in sport or life without her trusty sidekick and big sister, Venus. Oh yeah, they're also a nasty doubles team, hauling in 13 Grand Slam titles since '99.
9. John Stockton
Athlete They Complemented: Karl Malone
Years Together And Championships Won: 18 Seasons (1985-2003), 0 Championships
Career Span: 1984-2003
Individual Accolades: All-Time NBA Assist Leader, 10x All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, 5x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
John Stockton and Karl Malone are arguably the greatest duo in sports to never win a title, and if it weren't for two guys by the name of Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan, they might have a whole cabinet of rings to display. Such is life, but it doesn't diminish the talents that these two displayed. Stockton, who early in his career arguably looked like Robin, is the best dime man the NBA has known and Malone was often the recipient of Stockton's court vision. These two all basketball fans in awe on a regular basis and over the course of 18 years the pride of Spokane, WA proved to be one of the true best sidekicks in sports history.
8. James Worthy
Athlete They Complemented: Magic Johnson
Years Together And Championships Won: 9 Seasons (1982-1991), 3 Championships
Career Span: 1982-1994
Individual Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 1988 NBA Finals MVP, 7x NBA All-Star, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history, "Big Game James" Worthy was arguably the engine that made this Lakers team run. Rattling off three championships between '85-'88, Worthy proved that the Lakers made the right call drafting the UNC Tar Heel with the first overall pick in '82. A seven-time All-Star and a Hall of Famer, Worthy was the true catalyst behind the Laker dynasty of the '80s. Magic Johnson may have been the No. 1, but like Batman, he never would've gotten past the villain that was the Boston Celtics without the always dependable Worthy.
7. Kobe Bryant
Athlete They Complemented: Shaquille O'Neal
Years Together And Championships Won: 8 Seasons (1996-2004), 3 Championships
Career Span: 1996-Present
Individual Accolades: 5x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 2008 NBA MVP, 14x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 9x NBA All-Defensive First Team
Shaq and Kobe we're like Ike and Tina in their prime, on stage they were a dynamo, off the court the two could barely co-exist in the same locker room. This odd couple joined the Lakers together in '96, Kobe an 18-year-old draft pick out of high school, Shaq a free-agent coming off four beast years in Orlando.
The pair epitomized a love-hate relationship but were able to do work when it mattered most, rattling off three straight championships between '00-'02. Kobe is a five-time NBA champ, 14-time all-star, and a two-time finals MVP, among numerous other accolades. Shaq however was a flat out freak of nature, and the true force behind the Lakers three-peat. A three-time finals MVP, 15-time all-star, '00 league MVP, two-time NBA scoring champ, '93 rookie of the year and a one-time genie in a certain '96 movie that needs not to be named. When Kobe hangs up his kicks he's going to be one of the greatest players the game has ever known, but when these two did their thing, it was Shaq's team.
6. Lou Gehrig
Athlete They Complemented: Babe Ruth
Years Together And Championships Won: 12 Seasons (1923-1934), 3 Championships
Career Span: 1923-1939
Individual Accolades: 6x World Series Champion, 2x AL MVP, 7x All-Star, MLB All-Time Team, All-Century Team
Lou Gehrig had one of the most impressive careers of a professional baseball player. He was the first player to hit four homeruns in a single game, has the record for most consecutive 120+ RBI seasons (8), and was twice an MVP. Gehrig was overshadowed by the larger than life persona that is Babe Ruth. In 1927, Gehrig put historic numbers batting .373, with 218 hits: 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, a then-record 175 runs batted in. He won AL MVP, but still he never drew the attention that Babe Ruth did. Despite it all, both players helped lead the Yankees to three championships as teammates.
5. Kevin McHale
Athlete They Complemented: Larry Bird
Years Together And Championships Won: 12 Seasons (1980-1992), 3 Championships
Career Span: 1980-1993
Individual Accolades: 3x NBA champion, 7x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
Larry Legend will always be loved and cherished by the Boston faithful, but many forget the importance of the players supporting him. McHale was drafted one year after Bird and started off as a sixth man. He dominated, winning the Sixth Man of the Year twice and eventually became a starter.
McHale reached his peak establishing the "torture chamber" where he took opposing players down in the post and it became a foregone conclusion that he was going to score. McHale was the first ever player to shoot over 60 percent from the field and over 80 percent from the free throw line in an NBA season.
4. Roger Maris
Athlete They Complemented: Mickey Mantle
Years Together And Championships Won: 7 Seasons (1960-1966), 3 World Series Championships
Career Span: 1957-1968
Individual Accolades: 7x All-Star, 2x AL MVP, 3x World Series Champion
Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were the perfect example of two completely different personalities coming together and forming quite the duo. Both players formed the legendary tandem of the M&M Boys.
They battled each other in 1961 attempting to break Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs. Maris broke Ruth's record with 61 and Mantle had 54 home runs. The media and fans attempted to egg on a rivalry between both players, but Mantle and Maris formed a close friendship and won two World Series together. They have the nearly untouchable record of 115 home runs hit in a single season by a pair of teammates.
3. Jari Kurri
Athlete They Complemented: Wayne Gretzky
Years Together And Championships Won: 8 Seasons (1980-1988), 4 Championships
Career Span: 1980-1998
Individual Accolades: 5x Stanley Cup Champion, 8x All-Star
Obviously when your in a duo with "The Great One," you have to be the sidekick, but this case isn't as open and shut as you might think. With 601 goals, 797 assists and 1,398 points, Jari Kurri took a backseat to few. "The Finnish Flash" was a beast on the line with Gretzky, rattling off five Stanley Cup titles including one in '90 without Gretzky by his side. In 1984 he scored 50 goals in his first 50 games.
Kurri also finished his career as the highest scoring European-born-and-trained player in NHL history. Gretzky and Kurri dominated with the Oilers and while there will only ever be one Gretky there will also only be one "Finnish Flash," that is until Teemu Selanne came along and used that nickname, too. Oh well, skate on Jari Kurri, skate on.
2. Bob Cousy
Athlete They Complemented: Bill Russell
Years Together And Championships Won: 7 Seasons (1956-1963), 6 Championships
Career Span: 1950-1970
Individual Accolades: 6x NBA Champion, 1957 NBA MVP, 13x All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
Bob Cousy transcended the point guard position. In a league, where primary offensive options were big men, Cousy is one of only four point guards in NBA history to win an NBA MVP award. Cousy formed the ultimate point guard-center combo with center Bill Russell, and they won six championships together in seven years. Cousy averaged 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 7.5 APG and his impact on the Celtics and the game of basketball is still evident today.
1. Scottie Pippen
Athlete They Complemented: Michael Jordan
Years Together And Championships Won: 10 Seasons (1987-1998), 6 Championships
Career Span: 1987-2004
Individual Accolades: 6x NBA Champion, 7x NBA All-Star, 8x All-NBA Defensive First Team, Member of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
Yeah, yeah we know, you all knew who would have the No. 1 spot on this list form jump. Two separate three-peat championship runs for MJ and Pippen, these two defined winning and partnership.
The fact that there was never any debate with regards to who was top dog for the Bulls allowed Pippen to be the sidekick Jordan needed to rattle off championship after championship after...well, you get the point. It's said that Jordan "built" Pippen in his own image, well who can argue with the fact that if one Jordan is good, two is most definitely better. Here's to making winning cool and being the best Batman and Robin duo to ever grace a court, field, arena, stadium, gymnasium, coliseum, velodrome, or flavian amphitheater, ever.
