If you think you have to be 7-feet tall or 300 pounds to make it in the sports world, think again.

When it comes to sports, everyone always assumes that bigger is better. But we at SIKIDS.com decided it's time the little guys get their due.

We'll be counting down the Top 10 small athletes in the world today. Each of these athletes is either below average height when compared to the rest of the world (shorter than 5' 9" for men, 5' 3" for women) or star in a sport like basketball, where everyone in the league is especially tall.

They might not stand tall, but these 10 stars prove that big things can come in little packages...

10. Nate Robinson

For anyone who is 5' 9", there are two ways you can dunk a basketball:

1. Get a dunk hoop and lower it to 8' 6", or

2. Dream about it.

That's why Nate Robinson's high-flying feats are so amazing. "Krypto-Nate" stole the show at the 2009 Slam Dunk Competition. Among his dunks was a leap over Superman himself, 2008 champ Dwight Howard.

Of course, Robinson is more than just a dunker, he's a sixth man supreme. Providing instant offense off the bench for the Knicks, Robinson averaged 17.2 points. Among sixth men, only Jason Terry scored more.

And Robinson wasn't always just a basketball player. At the University of Washington, he was a defensive back for the Huskies football team.

9. Chen Roulin

Chen is far and away the smallest athlete on our list, coming in at just 4' 6".

The pint-sized Chinese phenom has racked up the medals over the past three years and is now one of the world's elite divers.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chen gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about. She took gold in 10-meter platform diving and, along with partner Wang Xin, added gold in 10-meter synchronized platform.

She and Wang recently won gold in synchronized at the 2009 World Championships, their second straight world title in that event. Chen also won silver in individual 10-meter platform at the 2009 and '07 World Championships.

At age 17, there's no doubt we'll be seeing big things from this small star over the coming years.

8. Temeka Johnson

The 5' 3" Johnson has come up big time and time again for the Phoenix Muercury this season.

A year after being traded from the Los Angeles Sparks, Johnson finished fifth in the WNBA in assists (4.6) and helped lead the Muercury back to the NBA Finals (as of Wednesday, they were two wins away from a second title in three seasons).

A three-time All-America honorable mention at LSU (2002-04), Johnson won the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top collegiate point guard as a senior. But she was thought to be too small to be a great professional player.

Thanks to her quickness -- and toughness -- Johnson has emerged as one of the WNBA's top point guards, and it didn't take long for it to happen. Johnson was the 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year for her fantastic first season with the Washington Mystics.

 

7. Martin St. Louis

Martin St. Louis might be officially listed at 5' 9", but considering he's barely taller than the Stanley Cup, there's no way he's taller than 5' 7".

But no matter how tall he really is, there's no cutting him down on the ice. The Lightning right wing is a five-time NHL All-Star.

But his biggest accomplishments were piled up in 2003-04. He took home hockey's biggest trophies, including the Hart Memorial as league MVP after leading the league in points. And, of course, St. Louis took Tamps to the title, hoisting the Stanley Cup.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Maurice Jones-Drew

It's almost like the NFL doesn't know what to make of Maurice Jones-Drew. When you're 5' 7" (and probably not even that tall), you're not supposed to be able to plow through mammoth defensive linemen.

But because he's so short and compact (208 pounds), trying to tackle Jones-Drew can be like trying to knock over a tank. He's too strong and too low to the ground to tackle easily. Plus, he has the speed to break away from the defense once he gets to the second level.

But what sets Jones-Drew apart is how well-rounded his game is. Adrian Peterson is undoubtedly the best runner in football, but he doesn't catch many passes and isn't a great pass protector. Jones-Drew does it all. He has averaged 49 catches per year over his first three seasons, and has even returned two kickoffs for TDs.

But to sum up just how good Jones-Drew is, consider this: Since he entered the league in 2006, he has scored 44 touchdowns. Only one player at any position has scored more during that span, and he's going to the Hall of Fame: LaDainian Tomlinson.

5. Manny Pacquiao

Anyone who says there are no great boxers anymore hasn't seen Manny Pacquiao in the ring.

There's little doubt that the 5' 6" Filipino fighter is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He's one of only five fighters in history to have won titles in five different weight classes (joining legends Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Thomas Hearns).

"Pac-Man" has ridiculously quick hands and packs surprising power for his size. In the past year alone, Pacquiao has pounded De La Hoya, winning by TKO, and scored a second-round knockout against Ricky Hatton in what was supposed to be a close match.

4. Dustin Pedroia

It seems as if we're in the era of the supersized middle infielder. Just look at the size of guys like Hanley Ramirez, Derek Jeter, Chase Urley, Troy Tulowitzki, and Ian Kinsler. They're all at least 6-feet tall, and all at least 200 pounds.

Then there's Dustin Pedroia. If you believe his listed height -- 5' 9" -- then Pedroia isn't even eligible for our countdown. But anyone who has seen Pedroia knows that he's 5' 6", or 5' 7" tops!

Of course, that lack of size has done nothing to hold him back. All Pedroia has done in three big league seasons is win American League MVP (2008), AL Rookie of the Year (2007), and a World Series ring (2007).

Pedroia is downright gritty on the field. He's nearly impossible to strike out, and he packs some surprising pop in that small frame. His 137 extra-base hits over the past two seasons, is tied for fourth-most in the American League during that span. Defensively, he doesn't have the strongest arm in the majors, but he's always willing to stand in against a take-out slide to turn a double play.

3. Sachin Tendulkar

There will be two reactions to Sachin Tendulkar's spot in our countdown.

Some of you will say: "What?! Who the heck is Sachin Tendulkar?"

And others will say: "What?! How is Sachin Tendulkar only Number 3?"

For those of you unfamiliar with Tendulkar, he might be the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket, one of the world's most popular sports.

Nicknamed "The Little Master," the 5' 5" Tendulkar is a technician on the cricket pitch, able to do whatever he wants against any bowler in the world.

Among his honors, he was Player of the Tournament in the 2003 Cricket World Cup and Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997. Even at age 36, he's showing no signs of slowing down.

2. Shawn Johnson

For the past three years, the 4' 9" Johnson has been arguably the best female gymnast in the world.

Only teammate Nastia Liukin could spoil the 2008 Beijing Games for Johnson, who had to settle for the silver in the all-around competition.

Of course, Johnson still took gold in the balance beam and won teh all-around in the past two U.S. Championships, as well as gold in the 2007 World Championships.

Johnson is leaning towards competing in the 2012 London Olympics. Considering her popularity on and off the mat (she won on Dancing with the Stars), she could end up being a Michael Phelps-sized star in the 2012 Games.

 

 

1. Lionel Messi

So why is Messi Number 1? Simple: He's the best player in the world's most popular sport.

The 5' 7" Messi is one of the most dangerous strikers in soccer history. He was the World Player of the Year in 2009. He's been named to the FIFPro World XI, basically the world All-Star team, each of the past three years.

In the past year alone, he led his club team, FC Barcelona, to titles in the Spanish League, Spanish Supercup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. Messi also led Argentina to the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

So when the 2010 World Cup starts up this summer, be sure to keep an eye out for the little guy.

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Top 10 Small Athletes in Sports