Politics 26 Professional Athletes Who Went Into Politics  

List of Professional Athletes Who Went Into Politics Ranked by Fame and Popularity. It seems that many athletes have opinions about politics. Some professional athletes have made the successful transition to become politicians later in life, after they retired from the game. Some athletes focus on local governments, while others are elected to national offices.

Who is the most famous professional athlete who went into politics? Arnold Schwarzenegger tops our list. Schwarzenegger held the professional body building title of Mr. Universe from 1968-1970 and the title of Mr. Olympia from 1970-1980. He also has had a successful career as a politician serving as the Governor of California from 2003-2011. On top of all that, Schwarzenegger starred in hit movies like “Terminator” and “The Running Man.”

Several NBA players have also went into politics. Kevin Johnson played basketball in the NBA, from 1987-2000, for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns. He is the current Mayor of Sacramento, a position he has held since 2008. Bill Bradley played basketball in the NBA from 1967-1977 for the New York Knicks. He also served as a United States Senator from 1979-1997, representing New Jersey.