0. Gilbert Arenas, G, Washington Wizards
Worth mentioning: Glen Davis, C, LSU basketball.

Arenas goes by Agent Zero. Davis is known as Big Baby. We propose each league adopt a rule saying any player wearing No. 0 has to be at least a partial goofball.

1. Amare Stoudemire, F, Phoenix Suns
Contenders: Chauncey Billups, G, Detroit Pistons; Roberto Luongo, G, Vancouver Canucks; Tracy McGrady, G, Houston Rockets.

2. Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees
Worth mentioning: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU football.

There's something about single digits and Yankees. Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 (twice) and 9 are retired. There's little doubt Jeter's No. 2 will join them someday.

3. Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat
Contenders: Ken Griffey, OF, Cincinnati Reds; Allen Iverson, G, Denver Nuggets; Gary Sheffield, DH, Detroit Tigers.

Wade, who chose 3 because it represents the Holy Trinity, clearly is the best No. 3 right now, but this is a heck of a good number. Griffey is a future Hall of Famer -- he won a Gold Glove in each year of the 1990s, is approaching 600 homers and is a career .291 hitter. Sheffield has Hall of Fame talent and borderline HOF numbers. Iverson is a future Hall of Famer.

4. Chris Bosh, F/C, Toronto Raptors
Contenders: Arron Afflalo, G, UCLA basketball; Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma football.
Worth mentioning: Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay Packers.

Considering his recent decline, Favre is more of a contender for the all-time list, but he still can't beat out Lou Gehrig or Bobby Orr.

5. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Contender: Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles.
Worth mentioning: Rocco Baldelli, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays; Kyle Busch, NASCAR driver; Nomar Garciaparra, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pujols entered spring training in 2001 with No. 68 -- and any serious fan knows that's no baseball number. After he made the team, he was briefly switched to No. 32. But Cardinals G.M. Walt Jocketty was so high on Pujols he sought out equipment manager Buddy Bates and asked Bates to give Pujols an even better number. Outfielder Quinton McCracken had been let go, which made 5 available, and the number became Pujols'.

6. Bobby Cox, manager, Atlanta Braves
Contender: Joe Torre, manager, New York Yankees.
Worth mentioning: Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies.

7. Jose Reyes, SS, New York Mets
Contender: Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins.
Worth mentioning: Craig Biggio, 2B, Houston Astros; Ivan Rodriguez, C, Detroit Tigers; Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers; Michael Vick, QB, Atlanta Falcons.

8. Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
Contender: Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR driver.

This number represents a battle of icons -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the unquestioned face of NASCAR. Ovechkin is fast becoming an icon for the Capitals.

Earnhardt and Ovechkin share more than a number. Each is better than the team that surrounds him. They also have number roots in common. Junior drives the No. 8, as did his grandfather. Ovechkin chose No. 8 because his mother, who played basketball in the Olympics for the Soviet Union, wore it.

We chose Ovechkin over Earnhardt as the best 8 because Ovechkin is more of an elite hockey player than Earnhardt is an elite driver. At the very least, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch are better drivers than Junior. There are not four hockey players more talented than Ovechkin.

9. Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Contenders: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints; Carlos Guillen, SS, Detroit Tigers.

10. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans
Contenders: Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State football; Miguel Tejada, SS, Baltimore Orioles; Michael Young, SS, Texas Rangers; Vernon Wells, OF, Toronto Blue Jays.
Worth mentioning: Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves; Nate Kaeding, K, San Diego Chargers; Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame football.

11. Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets
Contenders: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals; Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver; Roy Williams, WR, Detroit Lions.

12. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
Contender: Alfonso Soriano, OF, Chicago Cubs.
Worth mentioning: Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints; Dwight Howard, F/C, Orlando Magic.

13. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees
Contender: Steve Nash, G, Phoenix Suns.

This is the only number we changed after a decision had been made. At the onset of this project, Nash was a candidate to win three MVPs in a row, and the last time we had seen A-Rod, he was waving futilely at fastballs. Then the baseball season started and A-Rod started launching bombs, which reminded us that he could go down as one of the top five baseball players — ever. He's clearly the best baseball player right now, so he gets the nod. Also: He wore No. 3 in Seattle and Texas. But he couldn't wear it in New York. Babe Ruth made certain of that.

14. Jonathan Cheechoo, RW, San Jose Sharks

15. Carlos Beltran, OF, New York Mets
Worth mentioning: Carmelo Anthony, F, Denver Nuggets; Vince Carter, G, New Jersey Nets.

16. Pau Gasol, F/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Contender: Garret Anderson, OF, Los Angeles Angels.
Worth mentioning: Greg Biffle, NASCAR driver.

17. Matt Kenseth, NASCAR driver
Contenders: Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros; Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado Rockies; Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers; Brandon Webb, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks.

18. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Worth mentioning: Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP, Boston Red Sox; Randy Moss, WR, Oakland Raiders.

19. Josh Beckett, RHP, Boston Red Sox

20. Tony Stewart, NASCAR driver
Contenders: Ronde Barber, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Brian Dawkins, S, Philadelphia Eagles; Greg Oden, C, Ohio State basketball; Jorge Posada, C, New York Yankees; Ed Reed, S, Baltimore Ravens

Joe Gibbs Racing gave Stewart the No. 20 when he was a rookie in 1999 because it was the closest in number to JGR's other team, Bobby Labonte's No. 18. Other teams had dibs on the 17 (Darrell Waltrip) and 19 (Loy Allen Jr.), and Ted Musgrave drove the No. 16 for Roush Racing.

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