NEWSLETTER
This article is part of a series of top North Carolina athletes and teams. As North Carolina sports betting gets set to launch in March, take a look at the top athletes across North Carolina college and professional sports.
North Carolina has seen its fair share of great athletes including Hall of Fame members and league superstars. Who are some of the best athletes born and raised in North Carolina? Let’s take a look at the 10 best athletes from North Carolina.
Best Athletes Born in North Carolina
People might argue about the meaning of the term athlete. For this list, we are looking at athletes who had the most success in their respective professional sports. Also, this is a list of born and raised North Carolinians. That means born in the state and went to high school in the state. Now, let’s get to the list.
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10. Raymond Floyd (PGA Tour)
Born: Fort Bragg, NC
High School: Fayetteville (Now Terry Sanford)
Raymond Floyd won 22 PGA Tour Events and 4 PGA Majors in a career that spanned over 30 years as he saw success on the Senior PGA Tour as well. On the Senior Tour, Floyd won 14 events, 4 majors, and 2 Tour Championships.
Floyd’s career started in 1961 and he went on to win the Masters in 1976, the US Open in 1986, and the PGA Championship twice (1969, 1982). He finished tied for second at the 1978 Open Championship which kept him from a career Grand Slam. Floyd is 29th all-time in wins and is one of 30 players who have won at least 4 majors in PGA Tour history. Check out Floyd’s career.
9. Enos Slaughter (MLB)
Born: Durham, NC
High School: Roxboro
Enos Slaughter was a great right fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals who won 4 World Series and hit at least .300 10 times in his 19-year career. He had 2,383 hits and 413 doubles to go along with a .300 career average despite missing 3 seasons because he served in World War II.
Slaughter had the best season of his career in 1942 (.318 avg, 188 hits, 17 triples) before entering military service. He is in the MLB Hall of Fame and had 7 seasons in which he recorded at least 10 triples. Check out Slaughter’s stats.
8. Bob McAdoo (NBA)
Born: Greensboro, NC
High School: Ben Smith
Bob McAdoo was an elite NBA scorer in a career that featured 3 scoring titles, 2 All-NBA teams, and 2 NBA Champions. McAdoo scored 30.6, 34.5, and 31.1 points per game from 1973-76 to win 3-straight scoring titles.
He also made 5 All-Star teams and finished his NBA career averaging 22.1 points and 9.4 rebounds. After his NBA run from 1972-86, McAdoo went on to star in the Italian League winning 2 championships in 1987 and 1989. Check out McAdoo’s career stats.
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7. Bobby Bell (NFL)
Born: Shelby, NC
High School: Cleveland
Bobby Bell was a 6-time All-Pro linebacker for the Kansas Chiefs, with his peak from 1965-70. Bell was a 9-time Pro Bowl selection, a Super Bowl Champion, and a 2-time AFL Champion.
He was a versatile player who could get after the quarterback, drop back in coverage, and shut down a run game. Bell racked up 40 sacks and an insane 26 interceptions while running 6 of those back for touchdowns. Check out Bell’s numbers.
6. Carl Eller (NFL)
Born: Winston-Salem, NC
High School: Atkins
Carl Eller did his damage as a defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings for 15 seasons. Eller had 5 All-Pro selections in 6 years from 1968-73. During that run, he compiled 58.5 sacks and finished in the top 5 of the MVP voting a couple of times.
He made the Pro Football Hall of Fame after starting 209 games in his long career with his best season coming in 1969. In that season, Eller had 15 sacks and helped the Vikings win the NFL Championship 27-7 over the Browns to reach Super Bowl IV. Check out Eller’s career stats.
5. Dale Earnhardt Sr. (NASCAR)
Born: Kannapolis, NC
High School: Dropped out after 8th grade
Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death at the 2001 Daytona 500 will live in the minds of sports fans forever as a crash took his life at the age of 49. Before his death, Earnhardt was one of the greatest NACAR drivers of all time.
Earnhardt won the Winston Cup Series 7 times and is tied for the most NASCAR Cup Series Championships with 7. He’s in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame, and International Motor Sports Hall of Fame.
Also, Earnhardt had 76 victories and is the all-time leader in race victories at Daytona International Speedway with 34. Check out Earnhardt’s Hall of Fame career.
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4. Buck Leonard (Negro League Baseball)
Born: Rocky Mount, NC
High School: None (No black HS at the time in Rocky Mount)
Due to Major League Baseball not allowing black players, Buck Leonard was left to dominate the Negro League from 1935-48. Leonard was a feared hitter who hit a career-best .420 in 1938. The first basemen hit at least .300 in 12 of his 14 seasons with the Homestead Greys.
Leonard was a 13-time All-Star, won 3 World Series, and took home 2 batting titles. He had an insane career OPS of 1.046 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Negro League Committee in 1972. See Leonard’s career stats.
Read More: Best MLB players born in NC
3. Julius Peppers (NFL)
Born: Wilson, NC
High School: Southern Nash
Julius Peppers was an absolute beast in a career that featured stops with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers. The future hall-of-fame defensive end was the number 2 pick in 2002 by the Panthers and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year to start a strong career.
Peppers made 9 Pro Bowls and had 3 All-Pro selections in his career. He’s a member of the Hall of Fame All-2000s and 2010s teams while also earning 3 selections to the All-Pro Second Team. His career numbers include 159.5 sacks, 175 tackles for loss, and 52 forced fumbles. In 2024, Peppers made the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Richard Petty (NASCAR)
Born: Level Cross, Randolph County, NC
High School: Randleman
Richard Petty is tied with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson for the most NASCAR Cup Series Championships with 7. He also is a 2-time Grand National Series Champion and won the Winston Cup Series 5 times.
Petty won 10 NASCAR Cup Series events in a row in 1967 which is a record and he is the all-time wins leader in the NASCAR Cup Series with 200. He was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Diecast Hall of Fame, and was NASCAR’s most popular driver 9 times. Take a look at Petty’s career.
1. Chris Paul (NBA)
Born: Winston-Salem, NC
High School: West Forsyth
Chris Paul tops the list of best North Carolina athletes as he is one of the best point guards in NBA history. His list of accolades is long and unbelievably impressive as he’s piled up impressive feats since entering the NBA in 2005.
Paul is an 11-time All-NBA selection and a 12-time All-Star. He could play defense as well making All-Defense 9 times in a career that featured stints with the Hornets, Clippers, Suns, Rockets, and Warriors.
Paul was the NBA Rookie of the Year and led the league in steals 6 times while leading in assists 5 times. He registered 10+ assists 7 times in his career and 2+ steals 11 times. Paul undoubtedly will make the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after he retires. Check out Paul’s career stats.
Read More: Best North Carolina NBA player ever and best Panthers of all time.
