3 athletes apart from Virat Kohli who are called 'The King'

Virat Kohli is arguably one of the greatest cricketers of this generation. He has been given the moniker 'King' by fans and experts in the sport.

Over the past century, the game of cricket has seen many greats, but few have ruled the sport like him. Virat Kohli not only chases down targets but also displays exceptional field presence through excellent fielding and taking catches. The title suits his alpha personality, as he is someone who wants to win at all costs.

Similarly, other top athletes are also called the 'king' of their respective sports. We take a look at three sports - basketball, MMA, and football - and the players who are known as the 'kings' in them.

#1 LeBron James

'King James' is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He represents the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. In his decorated career, he has won the NBA four times (in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020), and he has been the MVP in each of the Lakers' final victories in the tournament. He has also won the MVP award four times (in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013).

There was a lot of hype about LeBron James as one of the greatest young prospects ever when he passed out of high school. He truly lived up to the hype in those days by having such an illustrious career in the sport.

It is believed that he was given the moniker of 'King James' by a newspaper publication in his early days. Some also feel that he calls himself 'the king' because he thinks he is better than other players.

James has often been unfairly criticized by the media. However, he has reached that stage in his career where these things do not affect him anymore. He wants to keep playing the game into his 40s, along with both his sons, Bronny and Bryce. The ability to perform at the highest level for a long period of time is what separates his mentality from other great players and truly takes him into the very elite status of athletes across all spectrums of the sport.

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#2 Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor is one of the greatest athletes in UFC history. The Irishman was crowned champion of the featherweight division every year from 2008 to 2015. Simultaneously, he was also the champion of the lightweight division from 2008 to 2012. He is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world at present.

His natural tendency is to trash-talk the opponent and get into his head. This is known as psychological warfare. Most of his wins have come because of his boxing skills during knockout punches.

McGregor paid close attention to the people who reveled in his lean phase. But that did not change his attitude and mentality, which had helped him become extremely successful in the sport. After a career-defining performance this year, he talked about the same.

“It certainly lit a fire under my belly,” he said. “Every single person doubted me. Every single fighter doubted. Doubt me now!”

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#3 Pele

Arguably the greatest footballer in Brazil's history, Pele won three FIFA World Cups (in 1958, 1962, and 1970) in his international career. His World Cup legacy is unrivaled by some of the sport's best players. He played for the Brazilian club Santos in league football.

Pele came from a very poor background; he was so poor that he could not afford to buy a football as a kid. He had to manage with a sock stuffed with rags and tied with string.

In 1961, the Brazilian government announced him as a "national treasure". This was done to prevent him from joining European clubs. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most career goals (1,283 goals in 1,363 games) and is the youngest winner of a FIFA World Cup (at 17 years and 249 days in the 1958 FIFA World Cup).