NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- GQ magazine reveals its list of the 25 "Coolest Athletes of All Time" in the February issue, featuring photos of sports icons past and present, those most remembered and revered; athletes who played the game like it was an expression of who they were, while teaching the fans how to be big-time with grace, style, and swagger.  

From Garry Shandling on Muhammad Ali ("I'd be honored to be knocked out by Ali. To stare up through foggy contact lenses and see him looming over me with that devilish grin, shaking his fist, mouthpiece half out, as he yells for me to get up—all while the referee is counting to 10—would be a dream come true."), to GQ's food critic and former 76ers beat reporter Alan Richman on Julius Erving ("He invented airborne journeys to the basket, the unlikely ones that began too far from the rim or too close to the baseline but ended with him descending from above. He was the first player to rise up and wait patiently until those guarding him came down. Before him, the dunk was still-life. After him, it was poetry in motion..."), GQ asked friends and family of the magazine to share their thoughts on why they'll never tire of watching these athletes race, score, and win. A complete list of GQ's 25 "Coolest Athletes of All Time" follows below.

About GQ: GQ is the leading men's general-interest magazine, with a monthly readership of 7 million readers. It is available in print, online at GQ.com, and as an app at iTunes.com. The magazine is published by Conde Nast, a division of Advance Publications. Conde Nast operates in twenty-five countries and is the world leader in exceptional content creation.

SOURCE GQ