Opinion: Ranking the Top 5 Athletes to come out of Arizona

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July 7, 1998; Denver, CO, USA; FILE PHOTO; OF Kenny Lofton (7). Mandatory Credit: V.J. Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK

Jul 7, 1998; Denver, CO, USA; FILE PHOTO; American League outfielder Kenny Lofton (7) of the Cleveland Indians in action against the National League during the 1998 MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: V.J. Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK / V.J. Lovero-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mention No. 1 - Kenny Lofton

It was hard finding a spot for Kenny Lofton inside the Top 5 because, to me, he is worthy of being on the list, but coming in as an honorable mention is the former Wildcat basketball star.

A big part of the Wildcats 1988 Final Four run, Lofton was a foundational piece to some of those early Lute Olson teams and despite playing in just a handful of baseball games at the University of Arizona, Kenny was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1988 MLB Draft.

He would eventually embark on a professional career that spanned 17 seasons, making appearances with several teams including the Astros, the Cleveland Indians (now named Guardians), Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.

Appearing in 2,103 games, Lofton sports a career .299 batting average with 2,428 career hits, 130 home runs, 781 RBIs, and 622 stolen bases. He is a six-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Winner and is easily one of the greatest athletes to come out of Arizona.

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