Where the Most Influential Skateboarders of Our Time Stack Up

 

By: Dan Gilbert

 

 

It wouldn't be a skateboarding website if it didn't feature a ranking of the all-time greats. Granted, this topic is subjective, but make no mistake about it, this was written with confidence. If your favorite skateboarder was left out, apologies are in order, but be sure to read this article in its entirety before passing judgment. Afterwards, you may get a better understanding as to why certain skaters did or didn't make the cut. Without furder ado, here are the five greatest athletes to pick up a board: 

 

5. Paul Rodriguez

 

Nicknamed "P-Rod" by his friends, Paul Rodriguez gets the nod at #5. Born in 1984, the Tarzana native was given his first skateboard for Christmas at age 12, and became enthralled with the sport after watching his peers skateboard during recess. Believe it or not, he was so infatuated with skateboarding that he even slept with his board. The two were never apart, and it wasn't long before he became better than those he grew up watching. P-Rod went on to claim 8 X Games medals and a number of other competitions to secure his spot on this list.

 

4. Danny Way

 

Born in Oregon, Way became synonymous with extreme skateboarding and is widely acknowledged for pioneering "megaramps". Like Rodriguez, he has also captured his share of gold medals at the X Games. Way earned Thrasher magazine's "Skater of the Year" honors on two separate occasions and made a name for himself performing otherworldly stunts throughout his career.

 

3. Bob Burnquist

 

Born in Brazil's stunning capital of Rio de Janeiro in 1976, Robert "Bob" Burnquist began skateboarding in his hometown as early as age 11. Needless to say, he was pretty good at it, considering he turned pro just three years later. Though Bob wasn't able to land the 900 (arguably the most challenging trick of all) in contests, it is said that he is one of only five people to have done it outside competition. Burnquist has been a staple of the X Games throughout his career, having amassed a whopping total of 26 medals. After inventing a boatload of creative tricks and recording the second highest score in the tournament's history, Burnquist has put together a formidable resume that holds up as good as anyone else's, and for that, he deserves to be recognized as one of the thee greatest skateboarders of all time.

 

2. Rodney Mullen

 

Born in Gainesville, Florida in 1966, Rodney Mullen was made for skateboarding. Look no further than him being responsible for some of the most commonly used moves in skateboarding today as the reason why. He was introduced to skateboarding by one of his friends at age 10, and like some of the other elite names on this list, he managed to turn pro by the time he hit 14. Having perfected his craft at an early age, it comes as no surprise that Mullen was frequently praised for his mastery with the board and meticulous approach to the game. His greatness never went unnoticed. Mullen won the Transworld Skateboarding Readers’ Choice Award for Skater of the Year in 2002, and had the ultimate honor of being inducted in the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in May 2013. Since the sport probably wouldn't be where it is today without Mullen, very few would argue against him being the best to ever do it, yet, as amazing as Mullen was, he wasn't quite the man we rank at #1.

 

1. Tony Hawk

 

Simply put, Tony Hawk helped evolved skateboarding into what it is today. Nicknamed "The Birdman", Hawk did things nobody else could, explaining why he was the National Skateboard Association world champion for an astounding twelve consecutive years. With an aura that was unmatched, you could say he was to skateboarding what Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky were to their respective sports. After all, he was the biggest reason why skateboarding went from an underground activity to a pop culture phenomenon. But having his name attached to a popular video game series isn't the only reason why he's ranked number one. No matter what era, there was no better vertical skater than Hawk in his prime. Some of his contemporaries and predecessors may have had comparable talent, but nobody impressed the masses or had the same career longevity as Birdman. Hawk had a resounding impact on the sport that couldn't and may not ever be duplicated, and as the face of his sport, he is universally regarded as the greatest skateboarder that ever lived.