Top 10 Best Skateboarders of All Time
What makes a skateboarder the greatest? Is it their gravity-defying tricks, the effortless style, or the gutsy approach to every gnarly skate spot?When it comes to the best skateboarders of all time, it's all about leaving a legacy that's built on the pure love of skating, pushing the sport to new heights, and inspiring both skaters and fans worldwide.
Some skaters are remembered for inventing moves, some for shattering competition records, and others for doing things no one had thought possible. From pioneers who laid the groundwork for modern skateboarding to the pros dominating contests today, these skaters have all left a massive impact on the sport and culture.
Rodney Mullen, often called the "Godfather of Street Skating," invented numerous skateboarding tricks such as the kickflip, flatground ollie, and 360 flip. His influence in both freestyle and street skateboarding has shaped the technical aspects of the sport. Skated with him from the beginning. It's hard to fathom the difference between the exploits of Vert and Street. They are two different disciplines. Thing is, I'm a vert guy. It's more dangerous, but Rodney does what seems inhuman, like something aliens or computers might do.
Decades later, his feats are like those of a magician or a UFO sighting. There might be a glimpse of him, but people often can't even recall what they saw afterward. He'll do ten straight tricks with the camera rolling, no mistakes, unlike the tour guys and the Maloof competitors.
I was watching the Maloof contest, wishing people could experience the "Rodney trance". We were with SIMS EAST, and he was with Walker, alongside Kelly Lynn, Clyde Rogers, Chris Baucom, and Mark Lake. In the end, there is Rodney.
Tony Hawk is an iconic professional skateboarder known for completing the first 900, a two-and-a-half aerial spin, at the 1999 X Games. He is widely recognized as a major figure in popularizing modern skateboarding through his performances and the Tony Hawk video game series. Tony Hawk has been the best-known skateboarder for the last 10 years, but Hawk retired from competing in 1999. So, why is he the top skater of this decade?
In 1999, the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game came out. Over the last 10 years, the Tony Hawk video game franchise, boasting 12 games, has moved mountains in promoting skateboarding and has dominated the skateboarding video game scene.
Also, in 1999, Tony Hawk became the first skater to pull off a 900, the holy grail of vert skateboarding. Over the last 10 years, many have tried to beat it, but no one has yet. I have no doubt that someone will land a 1080 eventually, but in the world of vert skating, Tony Hawk has remained unchallenged, even though he hasn't competed. That's pretty amazing.
P-rod should be the best. If anyone says P-rod sucks, I will hate them forever. I don't know why he is number 6. He should be number 1! I hate everyone who says he sucks. I mean, why do people not like him like they did a couple of years ago?
P-Rod is an awesome skater. I like his skate style. Moreover, I have drawn in his style when I started to skate.
P-Rod RULES. He is the BEST.
I don't know what other people think about him, and I really don't care, because to me, he is an idol.
Switch, Nollie, Grinds, in everything.
Paul Rodriguez is hands down the best skater alive. He does every trick consistently and so cleanly. Have you seen his switch tricks? He pretty much doesn't even skate switch because he skates goofy and regular the same. He's just too good!
My name is Justice, and Ryan is my idol! I watched him skate at Modern Skate Park in Detroit, Michigan on April 2, 2016. He is the best! He is the main reason I love skating and why I keep skating to pursue my dream of skating all my life and becoming pro.
Even if I don't go pro, I will still try to skate every day. All thanks to Ryan Sheckler! And Ryan, I saw you tear your MCL and meniscus at Modern, and I hope you feel better soon and keep skating.
I think he is super attractive and is very passionate about skateboarding. He made me want to try it out, and it's pretty fun. So, thank you, Ryan, for introducing me to a new way to get great exercise! I love you!
Chris Cole embodies skateboarding. I believe he should be placed in number 2 after Rodney, for Chris Cole is the Rodney Mullen of our generation. He represents what the sport is all about. Not only is he consistent, but he's also capable of pulling off tricks that have never been done before on some of the biggest and most challenging obstacles, or even the simplest.
His style is the best I've ever seen for a man of his size.
James Chris Cole is one of the best skateboarders out there. He did a 720 kickflip and many more awesome tricks. One thing I must admit is that he should stay more loyal. And stay away from awful shoe brands like DC. I mean, why couldn't he just keep rolling with Fallen Footwear? Their shoes are great! And DC sucks. So, James, make better decisions. PEACE.
Nyjah, you are my idol. I started skating about a month ago because I randomly found you on YouTube. I really liked that, so I started selling some things to get money. I bought a skateboard and began learning tricks. Now I can do many tricks like kickflip, heelflip, varial flip, and 360 flip. Everybody watches me and wonders how, when in the first month of skating, I was only doing an ollie. Regardless, you are my idol.
Nyjah Huston inspires me to go skateboarding after I watch his videos. Anything to say about that? I mean, he's so young, and I think he'll be the best skateboarder in the whole universe.
Hands down, everyone! There's no question about it. He revolutionized vert skating and was one of the most aggressive street skaters ever. He has some of the most impressive footage collections in history.
When you watch complete videos, Danny always led the way with speed, air, technique, style, and he was by far the most aggressive and daring. He paved the way for a lot of people. He's one of the most influential figures in our sport. This guy is in a league of his own.
For all the youngsters who don't know, this guy has been excelling for a long time. No one has come close to his stature or achievements. He's the best in vert and best all around! Hands down! He makes everyone else look like amateurs. Ask the pros. This guy gets a ton of respect. He is scary good.
Eric Koston is a professional skateboarder celebrated for his technical prowess in street skating and contributions to the sport's progression. He co-founded The Berrics, a major skateboarding media site, and has influenced multiple generations of skaters. Eric Koston is the best in street skating by far, but many of these people have different styles. Hawk skates vert while Koston skates street. Although Rodney Mullen may have invented many tricks, Koston just had more talent than all of these people. He is the MJ of street skating.
Truly, Eric Koston is the best skater. The media may hype others, but in the eyes of professional skateboarders, Eric Koston stands out. Their opinions are the only ones that should matter in this debate.
Who cares what uninformed kids think, especially those who can't differentiate between a nollie frontside and a half cab.
Bam Margera gained recognition as a professional skateboarder and as a personality on MTV's Jackass, combining skateboarding with stunts. He was part of the early skate team Element, and his skateboarding influenced both pop culture and the sport. Bam is a pioneer in the sport of skateboarding and is definitely one of the best. His skill level and diversity in his skating are incredible. When I think of Bam Margera, I don't think of Jackass. I think about the huge nollie bigspin he landed on the snakerun at Forks Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Thanks for all the tricks, Bam, and keep it up, man.
He's awesome.
He's so very awesome. He is my idol, so I vote for him. His tricks were dangerous, skateboarding around his house, on the roof of their house, like a stuntman. Bam Margera should be at Ryan Sheckler's place. He's my number 3.
Rob Dyrdek is a former professional skateboarder and entrepreneur, known for creating the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) competition. He also starred in MTV shows such as Rob & Big and Ridiculousness, expanding his influence beyond the skateboarding world. Rob Dyrdek should be number one. Because he has made skate parks for kids who skate and have nowhere to skate. Skaters everywhere thank Rob Dyrdek. I'm from North Carolina, and Rob has made an impact on my skate team. We named ourselves The Wild Grinders after his new cartoon on NickToons. We all hope to meet Rob Dyrdek someday.
Rob is an AMAZING and brave dude. He flipped a car 360 degrees. He wrestled in the WWE with Rowdy Roddy Piper. I think the next stunt he should do is to skate off a giant ramp over a LARGE GAP and land it. The gap should be LARGER than when he flipped that Chevy Sonic over the world's largest skateboard. So make the gap about three or four feet.
The Newcomers
I love this kid. He skates with the style of a grown man, yet he's only 13 years old.
This kid is a beast for his age! He's got style.
She would have been going to the Olympics when she was 12 if they hadn't been delayed. She was 3rd in the world rankings at only 12 years old. She is a legend.
He's an exceptional skater. His run at the Xgames is the best skateboarding performance I've ever seen. He's also a genuinely nice guy, one of the few in the skating world, like Tony and P-Rod. He's down to earth and excels at what he does.
He also has tremendous courage. He approaches his mega ramp as if it's a child's slide, and the stunts he does, like the Grand Canyon stunt, are insane.
He's the best skater ever! The most creative and the biggest risk-taker. No one has won more medals at the X-Games. Some rank him below others simply because they're unfamiliar with his history. He's the Kelly Slater of skateboarding!
Torey Pudwill, creator of Grizzly Grip Tape - how is this dude ranked so low? This is just bogus. The guy is a boss. He does a lot of switch grinds. For example, he'll be doing a board slide and switch to a crooked grind or something like that.
What! This guy rips. Go to YouTube and type his name. He's incredible. I mean, he did a hard flip over a bench and did it without any effort. This guy will be the greatest street skater in the future.
Torey is amazing, not the best, but should be around 14 or 15. He's definitely better than Bam and Tony Alva. His Big Bang video is tight. Whenever you see him in team videos, it's him and P. Rod who are the gnarliest.
Mike Vallely is known for his aggressive, powerful skateboarding style and has been a part of the skate scene since the 1980s. He has also ventured into music and professional wrestling, while remaining active in promoting skateboarding culture. I talked to him at the 2015 Tampa Pro at Skate Park of Tampa. He is an awesome person and an amazing skater!
Why the heck is the best skateboarder 16th? Come on, he should be above Danny Way and all those other skateboarders. Not that Danny Way is a bad skateboarder. In fact, he's quite good. He's just not as good as Mike Vallely. Mike V is definitely better than Rob Dyrdek.
Mike V. is a hardcore skater. I wouldn't recommend messing with him.
Daewon invented a bunch of tricks that didn't catch on because no one can do them. He might be the greatest of all time.
He is amazing at manuals, and he is a creative skateboarder. He skates on rocks, trees, and pretty much everything he sees! Just watch Daewon Song dorking around at DVS, and you'll see why he should be in the top 3!
Go watch his Deca 2nd to none part. It outdoes MJ's fully flared. MJ stole many tricks from him. There's a bunch of kooks voting. Rodney Mullen is definitely not the best. Sheckler? What about Bam? Mike V.? Why is he even on here?
Chris Haslam is the reincarnation of Mullen. Heck, that's probably why he chose Haslam to be on the Almost Team. His style is just so fluid. He incorporates all aspects of whatever terrain he is riding.
You will never see any herky-jerky movements of him sticking a landing. Haslam is always consistent and inventive, which is why his style is so unique. He's just like a giant bearded snowflake: 100% original.
Chris Haslam is not just a skateboarder. He is a trick creator! He should be in the top 5, not in 10th place. I just don't understand why many skaters rate his tricks as stupid tricks. He rocks!
Mark Gonzales, known as "The Gonz," is a legendary skateboarder credited with helping to shape street skating as it is known today. His influence extends to art and skateboarding design, making him a multi-faceted icon in the sport. Anybody over 20 who knows anything about skating would say Gonz was number one. He's the most influential skateboarder of all time, and he skated like the board was literally a part of him from birth. Ask any pro skater about the greatest street skater of all time, and they're going to say Gonz. He and Mullen are numbers one and two.
Gonz is easily top 5 all-time, and both he and Mullen are the greatest street skaters of all time. It's not even close. It's sad to see people voting based on name recognition from who they know from TV.
Chad Muska is a former pro skateboarder recognized for his unique style and major influence in street skateboarding during the 1990s and early 2000s. He has collaborated with several major brands and has pursued other creative outlets such as art and music. How is he not higher on the list? He is one of the best street skaters out there. Who else can ride a skateboard on its side?
The dude is a boss. He can execute the same trick as anybody, but his landing is ten times cleaner.
Yes, he is one of the best skateboarders of his generation. He is in the same elite class as Tony Hawk.
Andrew Reynolds, nicknamed "The Boss," is known for his impactful style and commitment to skateboarding, earning him a Thrasher "Skater of the Year" title. He is also the founder of Baker Skateboards, a company influential in the skateboarding world. Why doesn't the Boss have a comment yet? He's not only capable of ollieing a bunch of stairs or a 15-foot gap, but he's also doing nollie kickflips and other stuff that Sheckler and the rest of that extra-overrated bunch at the top of the list (not to mention Cole, because he's really awesome, and the duo Mullen/Hawk were great in the 80s) can only dream of. Look at his Birdhouse "The End" part or "Stay Gold" part to see what real skateboarding is.
Yesterday he was in 7th place, and now he's 15th? That's nonsense. His part in Baker 3 was legendary. He explodes down stairs like Cee Lo Green gains weight.
Why is this kid ranked 22nd? Are you kidding? That dragon flip was mad. He's, by far, my favorite and many others' favorite skater. His flat ground skills are insane, and he's not even a pro!
He is amazing at skating. He can do so many unique flat ground tricks like the 360 dolphin flip. He is one of the best. He beat Chris Cole in a game of skate. He's really good.
He can do amazing tricks, even weird ones. He can beat Chris Cole in the Game Of SKATE. He's participated in the Berrics.
He's been skating for almost 7 years. He is the best skater.
He is the best skater alive. He should at least rank above P. Rod. He has won two Dew Tours, one when he was 14 and the second when he was 16. He has consistently been in the Street League championship and finals. He's really friendly. Unlike P. Rod, who has never come close to winning the Street League, Chaz stands out. I love him.
He is incredibly skilled and stylish. He is consistent and has the smoothest tricks.
Yo! Chaz Ortiz easily tops Daewon Song. Chaz is so committed to his boarding that he can't be stopped.
Felipe is insane. He's amazing and should be in at least the top 20.
He is one of the best skateboarders alive. He should be in the top 10, if not in the top 5.
He is one of the most talented skateboarders you will ever meet. He is sponsored by many companies and is great in the bowl.
Bucky wins everything these days.
Tony Alva is a pioneering skateboarder from the 1970s, known as a key member of the Zephyr skateboarding team (Z-Boys). He helped bring vert skateboarding to prominence and has had a lasting impact on the culture and industry of skateboarding. Alva IS skateboarding. He is the absolute first rock star of skateboarding. That is a FACT. 27? Get out of here with that.
What? He basically invented vert/pool skateboarding!
Alva at 19? The skateboarding world today is a sad place. Bam is 5 and Alva is 19? What?
He won a Street League competition against Ryan Sheckler, Chris Cole, and many other top-rated pros in the game.
One of the only SLS skaters to get a 9.9.
Him being down here is a disgrace.
He won Street League against Sheckler, P-Rod, Cole, Ortiz, and many others.