CULTURE
17 Best Skateboarders of All Time Who Made History – Famous Skaters


Ranking the 17 Best Skateboarders was a tough one considering the boom in skaters who have made skateboarding their profession and many of them are so famous that we can easily call them Celebrities.
For newbies to get motivated, we have made this list of the best skateboarders of all time. These are world-famous skaters who took skateboarding to another level.
These best skateboarders of all time will inspire you and motivate you with their life stories and the hard work they put in to become pro skateboarders.
However, there are no rules in skateboarding, but you have to be very careful when performing tricks to avoid injuries.
Besides that, skateboarding is famous in the USA and across the globe. It is one of the best outdoor activities through which you can flaunt your skills and can enjoy your free time.
So now you will be curious to know about the professional skateboarders of all time… Right?
Keep on reading to know how they performed those jaw-dropping stunts. Also, you will know who invented the famous tricks like kickflips and how several skateboarders got injured many times but didn’t leave skating as it was their passion.
Below we have the list of 17 Best Skaters of All Time who made history in skateboarding and earned the fame they deserved.
List of 17 Most Famous Skateboarders of All Time
Do you want to learn the new tricks about skateboarding? Have a guise at the expert skateboarders to know more about skateboarding.
If yes, then you will be amazed to know about these world-famous pro skateboarders.
You will be surprised to know about these talented skateboarders in the industry. And you will also come to know about the
creativity and skills they are famous for and what made them so famous.
Without further ado, Let’s read more about these best skateboarders in the world.
1. Tony Hawk


Tony Hawk brought more height to the jump of skateboarding.
He is the one who introduced the best tricks and kind of revamped the skateboarding sport and industry.
He has been named the most influential skater in history.
Tony has won many competitions worldwide.
Tony Hawk is into skateboarding since he was 14 years old and now he is a pro skater with several records.
He is a pioneer to invent new tricks in skateboarding.
More than that, Tony Hawk got several awards and is enjoying a successful career in skateboarding.
His net worth is around $140 Million which makes him the richest and highest-paid skateboarder of all time.
He is known to be the best street skater too.
Tony Hawk is one of the best skateboarders of all time due to his high jumps with his skateboard.
Also, he is known as The Birdman in the skating industry and owns a skateboards brand with the same name.
And this guy is a pro skateboarder. He made a video game skateboarding in 1999 named Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. He was the first pro skater to land a 900 trick successfully.
Besides that, Tony Hawk did a stunt in front of 275,000 people by keeping the skateboard beneath his feet.
No one could beat his record till now. He is one of the best skateboarders of all time.
2. Rodney Mullen


If you are familiar with the skateboarding background, then you must have heard the name, Rodney Mullen.
Rodney is known to be the greatest skateboarder of all time as well. This skateboarder started skating at a very young age.
He is known to be one of the best skateboarders due to his amazing skills and bringing innovative ideas to the skating sport.
Also, this American Skateboarder is a legend of the skateboarding world as he won his first World Skateboarding Championship at the age of just 14 which is really impressive. He is the legend of street skateboarding.
Besides that, Rodney is the first person to invent the flip tricks.
Also, he is the one to make the best flip 360. Rodney impressed several people with his one-foot flat-ground Ollie, Backflip, and Kickflip.
Also, Rodney has got several medals for his incredible tricks. The stunts Rodney aren’t easy at all as well.
However, he is the first person to do some amazing feats with a skateboard. And after doing creative skills with the skateboard, he never gave up.
Rodney skater got recognition all over the world in a few years.
Other than that, Rodney Mullen is a legendary skater who will stop the breath of people by doing the stunts. The kickflips and backflips of Rodney Mullen are pleasing to watch. Also, you will love all the tricks he performs.
So if you were looking for the Godfather of skateboarding, Rodney Mullen is that person. He did one-foot Ollie, double kickflip, side flip, back flip, and several other flips to gain recognition all over the world.
3. Paul Rodriguez


Next, we have Paul Rodriguez skateboarder also known as P-Rod, who was born and raised in California.
Paul was taught skateboarding by his parents and he got a skateboard as a Christmas Present from his parents.
That skateboard present made him so much passionate about skateboarding which eventually was the start of his skating career as a kid.
Paul started practicing skateboarding skills and was initially hired by a skateboarding team called One Eighteen after some time with massive experience and winning several medals as a skater, he became a famous skateboarder.
The profession of skateboarding gave him recognition all over the world and he earned his name among the most influential skateboarders in the world.
Paul Rodriguez’s skateboarder net worth is estimated at about $6 Million which he earned mainly through skateboarding and by some getting sponsorship from different brands.
Besides that, now he is the owner of a skateboarding park in California.
He now also owns the brand Primitive Skateboarding which he started in 2014 with his partners.
Also, Paul has a daughter now, and several people consider him in the list of the best skateboarders in skateboarding history. In an interview, he said that skateboarding took away all his worries.
4. Bucky Lasek


Do you know why we have this person on our list? That’s because he has won 13 medals in X Games competitions and 10 gold medals.
Also, Bucky Lasek had several severe injuries, but he didn’t stop skateboarding. After knowing the damage, you will say that he is too passionate about skateboarding.
This skateboarder came on the cover of a magazine.
Also, he is known as one of the best skateboarders and he also has been a great RallyCross driver at Subaru Rally Team USA. After winning a lot of competitions, this pro skater got fame.
He has also made his appearance in video games and can also be seen in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2.
He has done a few low-budget movies and music videos as well. And he owns a skateboarding bowl which he has named “Lasek Land”.
5. Bob Burnquist


Bob is a famous American-Brazilian skateboarder. And he has won 26 medals by winning several competitions.
Also, this famous skater took part in 25 skateboarding games. Plus, Bob got recognition all over the world after landing the famous “fakie 900” trick which made him the fifth person in the skating history to successfully execute this trick.
And he is the only person to do 50/50 landing with a skateboard.
Other than that, Bob is the first person to switch positions while skateboarding.
His landing on-ground skills are superbly awesome and many pro and new skaters get inspired by his abilities.
Besides that, he did several stunts to grab the attention of people. Also, he can do complicated tricks easily.
Bob is a famous skateboarder that can easily do the backflip, kickflip, 360flip, and many more.
He also owns the Dreamland skate park in his homeland.
Bob can be seen in almost every series of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game series.
Also, he has made his appearance in movies and videos.
6. Danny Way


Next up, We have this cool pro skater Danny Way. Danny is known for his highly adventurous skateboarding stunts such as jumping from a helicopter into a skating ramp which got him fame and he was nominated on the first cover page of Transworld Skateboarding magazine. He didn’t stop there and once used the Great Wall of China as his ramp to jump from.
He got several injuries while skateboarding, but he never gave up. Also, this guy has the best skills to skate as high as possible. Danny has been sponsored by many big brands like DC Shoes which makes shoes for skateboarders, Independent Trucks, and many others.
Besides that, this person has several accomplishments in his skateboarding career. And there are several tricks and flips that no one could beat Danny in. This person influenced many people to start skating and become pros in this sport. His passion for skating has made him fearless to do high jumps.
7. Eric Koston


Next, we have Eric Koston who is a well-known Thailand-born American Skateboarder who started skating professionally in the 10th grade of high school. He is featured in the EA Games video games Skate 2 and Skate 3 and also in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Also, he earned popularity from skateboarding after winning many competitions.
Eric has his skateboarding and clothing brand now. Also, this skateboarder was so passionate about skating that he made it his profession and now many professional and new skaters learn from his skating techniques. One of the reasons that we added this great skater to our list is that he took a risk by leaving school and pursuing his skateboarding dream which paid off and he became a professional skater.
8. Bam Margera


You may be conjecturing what the meaning of his name, Bam is? And there is an exciting story behind names. He got his nickname from his grandfather because Bam always tried climbing walls. Bam is a professional Skater, Stunt performer, TV personality, and a Filmmaker as well.
He got fame in the early 2000s when he was the star of the MTV reality stunt show known as Jackass. Besides that, this person had the god gifted skating skills. So once he started skateboarding, no one could stop him from skating like crazy.
Also, Bam can easily do any flip without any sort of difficulty. And the tricks he does are not easy, but he can do all the tricks very smoothly. You might say that he is doing simple tricks, but there are only a few skateboarders who can compete Bam.
However, to make the list of the best skateboarders of all time, he had to be one of the first person to do risky stunts on the streets. But Margera took retirement from skateboarding in 2016. Bam can be seen in movies and video games as well.
9. Chris Cole


Next, we have the Chris Cole skateboarders who stand at #9 on our list of professional most influential skaters of all time. This pro skateboarder is known best for his superb landing tricks and completing the most difficult skating tricks like 60 flip, Switch Frontside flip, and Backside 360 ollie down.
Plus, Chris Cole has influenced several other people because of his skating skills. You will like how he can fill the gaps while skateboarding. Moreover, this skateboarder has won several skating competitions, and he did some stunts to influence others.
Chris has been sponsored by big skateboarding and famous sports brands like Bones Bearing, Monster Energy, Thunder Trucks, and many more. He, himself, has owned some big skating companies like Reign Skate Shop and Zero Skateboard Company. Because of the professional skills he was awarded the “Skater of the Year” award in 2005 and 2009 by the Thrasher Magazine.
10. Andrew Reynolds


Next up on our list we Andrew Reynolds. Andrew is also one of the top skateboarders of all time. He is mostly known for his brand Baker Skateboards. Besides that, several people got influenced by Andrew Reynolds as well as his awesome street skating tricks.
Andrew was just 9 years old when he started skating and won several competitions. Credit goes to his mom who used to drive him all over Florida to participate in competitions. His initial inspiration was a skating video which motivated him to do skating. And you can also follow his tips and tricks to become a better skateboarder. Andrew stated in an interview that his inspiration in skating is Tony Hawk.
11. Rob Dyrdek


Rob Dyrdek, is a former American professional skateboarder with a long list of records and skateboarding distinctions. He is not just a professional skateboarder but also an anchor, an actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Being part of the former reality TV Show, “Rob and Big”, the best skateboarder set 21 Guinness World Records.
Moreover, as a part of the Fantasy Factory Series this best skateboarder on October 15, 2010, set the Guinness World record for the longest skateboard in the World. The skateboard was just like a typical skateboard but 12 times bigger in size. He is the same personality who introduced Street League Skateboarding. He promoted street-level skateboarding by funding a “skate plaza” that has benches, ledges, and stairs. The Street Skateboarding League grew from domestic to international, and the competition offered a record purse of 1.6 million dollars in sports history.
Rob Dyrdek is an inspiration for many youngsters because he started his career at a very young age, at just 11 years old he started skateboarding, and when he was 12, he gained sponsorship from a company. A few years later, Dyrdek and Blender established Alien Workshop. The pro skater has a net worth of $50 million. The skateboarder has appeared on screen many times in Films and Reality shows. The bests of Rob Dyrdek include:
- Farthest Reverse Ramp Jump
- Highest Skateboard Ramp Jump into Water
12. Nyjah Huston


Nyjah Huston is one of the biggest names on the list of best skateboarders of all time. The young American was destined to be a professional skateboarder as he has got a skateboarding background. Huston’s father was a skateboarder and owned a skate park, where Nyjah used to practice 5 hours a day.
With a total of 19 winnings, Huston remains unbeatable as far. He has won more awards and prize money in competitions than any other skateboarder in history. And that’s not it! He has also remained the highest-paid skateboarder in history. Nyjah set a benchmark by winning Street League Skateboarding Championship for 5 years. He won 5 gold medals, 2 silver, and a bronze medal in X-Games to top that off. He is not just a champion of the game but a champion of hearts. Nyjah won an award for the film “Rise and Shine”. In short, there is a long list of his winnings. He is the best skateboarder on a competitive level.
To pay a little tribute to this legend of hearts, DC Shoe named their first skate show on his name, called Nyjah Huston Signature Shoe. This all-time best skateboarder has recently got sponsorship from Nike. The young athlete has a net worth of $6 million. He is merely in his twenties and has won lifetime achievements, people, even twice his age dream of. But this is surely due to his hard work and persistence. He is an inspiration for youngsters with big dreams.
13. Daewon Song


Daewon Song has made skateboarding much more fun. The Korean-born skateboarder has influenced a lot of people by bringing innovative ideas to the game. He has introduced new styles and tricks in skateboarding. Daewon does not have conventional thinking, rather he thinks out of the box and tries creative ideas every day.
The American pro skater was titled “Skater of the year” in 2006. He is famous for showing off his skills using garbage cans, old tires, and stocked tables. He has surely brought new insight into this sport and remained a pro skater for almost 3 decades. Bringing new ideas is the truth of the beauty of the game, and Daewon has done it beautifully. He not only tries his own tricks, but he has done all old and new tricks.
Daewon got his first sponsorship from World Industries at the age of 16, and he appeared in numerous videos for the company. Mullen proved to be the godfather of Daewon as he sent him skateboards to ride, as an introduction to Mullen’s business. Mullen was strongly impressed by Song’s skills when he sighted him skateboarding. Furthermore, Daewon is also the co-founder of “Thank you skateboards”, and holds many renowned companies’ sponsorships. The skateboarder has a net worth of $3 million. Due to his accomplishments and worth mentioning struggles, a documentary was released titled “DAEWON on May 17.
14. Ed Templeton


Ed Templeton is a professional skateboarder, but most of all, a multi-talented person.
He is also an artist and a professional photographer.
Ed played his part as a passionate skateboarder in the game by introducing a new trick.
He is the one who did “50-50 Down a Handrail“ for the very first time.
He is most famous for freestyle skateboarding and bringing new tricks to the game.
Ed was very much influenced by Mark Gonzales from a very young age and tried to follow in his footsteps.
Templeton, in 1994 started a company with the name of “Toy Machine”.
The company sponsors a team of 11 skateboarders and got popular nationally and internationally.
Being an artist, Ed Templeton did all the artwork for the brand.
Ed Templeton participated in several contests and won Munster World Cup in 1990.
He had also won Slam City Jam in 1995. And he has also won several awards for his artistic works, including “Best Book of the Year” for a book Deformer in 2005.
He has got a big collection of his artistic works. Ed Templeton is surely an inspiration for skaters all around the world.
15. Steve Caballero


Here is another legend in skateboarding history, Steve Caballero.
Steve was born with a condition called scoliosis and had a curvature in his spine.
But this condition could not stop him from chasing his dreams.
He started to pursue his passion at the age of 13 and got his first sponsor when he was 14 years old.
Steve has not stopped ever since. He has won over 30 awards during his skateboarding career and set many world records.
Steve was titled as the “Skater of the Century” by Thrasher Magazine in 1999.
Moreover, he was crowned as the “Skater of the year” in 1984.
Steve also won World Championship in Munster, in both Street and Vert style skateboarding.
There are many victories on his name. Also in 1987, he set a world record of “highest aerial on-ramp”.
The guy was so passionate about skateboarding that he invented a trick that he called “Caballerial”, the trick got famous with the name of fakie 360 aerial. Oh, and he also invented the frontside boardslide.
The skateboarder is also blessed with artistic skills and remained a member of many bands in the past few years. He is currently focusing on his painting.
He was among the founding members of Bones Brigade. And there are a bunch of videos of him doing different tricks.
16. Lance Mountain


Lance Mountain, is a name worth mentioning in the list of best skateboarders of all time.
The pro skater remained a sensation through the 1980s. Another primary reason for his popularity was his association with Bones Brigade.
Mountain came into the spotlight as a professional skater when he won the “Upland Turkey Shoot” where he competed for other legends, including Steve Caballero and Tony Hawk. He stood first or 2nd as an amateur skateboarder in all the contests participating. He was popular as a vent skateboarder, and when the trend shifted towards street skateboarding, he remained equally likable due to his freestyle stunts and tricks.
Mountain is considered the inventor of the fingerboard; an article was also featured in Transworld Skateboarding magazine on his invention. Initially, it was a fun DIY project that resulted in a major toy category. Mountain is also a co-designer of the “V Skateboard” truck. Mountain is among the wealthiest skateboarders of all time with a net worth of 10 million dollars.
17. Mark Gonzales


Mark Gonzales is a professional skateboarder and a prolific artist.
The guy has conquered several accomplishments both as a skateboarder and an artist. Gonzales has influenced many professional skateboarders including Ed Templeton.
In December 2011, he was titled the “Most Influential Skateboarder of All times” by Transworld skateboarding magazine.
Mark started his skateboarding career at the age of thirteen in California. Along with his fellow skateboarder Natas Kaupas, Gonzales was the first one to skate on a handrail.
He is also the first one to Ollie the Wallenberg set, a 19 feet long span of concrete blocks in San Francisco. That was later named the “Gonz Gap”.
Mark Gonzales proved to be a revolutionary figure in skateboarding through his influence on street skateboarding.
At the age of 16, he was featured on the cover of Thrasher Magazine.
He was the pioneer of modern-day and left a permanent mark on street skateboarding. Mark initiated three companies in his lifetime and got sponsorships from very famous brands like Adidas.
To Sum Up
Finally, after going through the list of pro skaters and knowing some interesting facts about the best skateboarders of all time, you might have one favorite.
And we have our favorite, that is Tony Hawk. This OG Skater is famous due to his stunts and bringing innovation to the industry.
Also, you will be astounded to see his pro skateboarding skills.
Not only that but he has influenced so many people to start skating and earning a good name.
Let us know in the comments section who your favorite skateboarder or even if you like any famous female skater we would love to know why you like him/her.
If you also want to start your skateboarding career and want to buy a skateboard, read our reviews about the Best Skateboards to get updated info about the best skateboard brands.
Best Skateboarders of All Time – Infographic


CONTESTS
IOC Announces Winners of First Let’s Move Street Challenge
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed the first-ever winners of the Let’s Move Street Challenge – the unique online competition supported by Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung, inviting BMX, Breaking and Skateboarding enthusiasts to showcase their best moves and creative skills.
Twenty-one winners from 13 countries have been selected by the judges from thousands of entries, unlocking an all-access trip to watch some of the best athletes competing for their ticket to Paris 2024 at the first Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai.
LET’S MOVE STREET CHALLENGE WINNERS
BMX Freestyle Park
Melville Smith (United States of America)
Ozawa “Miharu” Miharu (Japan)
BMX Real Street
Andres “Mickey” Michael (New Zealand)
Eleonora (Greece)
BMX Dirt
Tommy Crail (United States of America)
Michelle Neuner (Switzerland)
Skateboarding Park
Eddie Acres (Australia)
Malgorzata Burkacka (Poland)
Skateboarding Real Street
Carlos Burgos (Cuba)
Guadalupe Aime (Argentina)
Skateboarding Street Park
James Huntley (New Zealand)
Keily Frank
Breaking Best Round
Penny “Penny” Deng (People’s Republic of China)
“Vinilla” Yelyzaveta Ovcharova (Ukraine)
Breaking Power Move
Pisani “Arthur” Alves de Silva Arthur (Brazil)
Bgirl Small (People’s Republic of China)
Breaking Footwork
Keith Jennings “Ghost”
Adejoke “Cruxy” Victoria Akinbogym (Nigeria)
Street culture
Jonatan Mineiro “Ze pequeno BMX” (Brazil)
Best produced
Maxime Castillon (France)
Most surprising video
Higor Cruz “Higorcruzb” Balthazar (Brazil)
These 21 award winners selected by the judges will now have the opportunity to experience first-hand the athletes’ Road to Paris 2024, with an-all access trip to an Olympic qualifying event in Shanghai in May 2024.
The new Olympic Qualifier Series is a four-part event series that will bring together the best athletes in one urban park for a festival-style event and will serve as the ultimate qualification stage for BMX Freestyle, Breaking, Skateboarding and Sport Climbing.
At least half of the qualification spots for Paris 2024 will be allocated through the Olympic Qualifier Series, with 464 athletes set to compete.
The winners were revealed during a one-off, 60-minute show streamed on Olympics.com, bringing together participants, fans and athletes from across the three sports to celebrate the competition and the sports and communities surrounding them.
It was hosted by BMX rider Darryl Nau, and featured judges Christie Hughes (BMX), Suzanne Reekers (Skateboard), BBOY Spin (Breaking) and Little Shao (Creative).
Fans were also able to join a live chat to share their reactions to the winners and interact with each other and had the chance to win exclusive Let’s Move Street Challenge merchandise.
The Let’s Move Street Challenge, supported by Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung, is a new Olympic initiative from the IOC. It is a unique digital competition that invited people from around the world to showcase their sporting and creative talent in BMX, Breaking and Skateboarding.
With the vision of being open, accessible and inclusive and providing inspiration to practise sport, competitors were invited to enter the challenge by submitting a 30-second video of themselves performing their best move.
All the Olympic Street Challenge entries are available to watch now on Olympics.com.
CULTURE
Tony Hawk and More at When We Were Young Fest
Punk rock and skateboarding collide at When We Were Young Fest held last month! Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Jason Ellis, Jimmy Wilkins and more showed up to skate and mosh.
The two-day event featured performances by top artists of the 2000s, including Avril Lavigne, the singer of Sk8er Boi.
Tony Hawk also had a surprise performance on the stage with the Gold Finger.
CULTURE
Carlisle Aikens Shows What It’s Really Like to Be a Pro Skateboarder
Carlisle Aikens never imagined that he would become a professional skater or a model. In the most recent episode of Hypebeast’s “Diaries” the skater and model reflects on his career while already considering “what’s next?”
Aikens became a part of Next Management just over two years ago, solidifying his dedication to modeling and contributing to a larger amalgamation of the skate world with the high-fashion.
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