Where Steph ranks on ESPN’s list of top 100 21st century athletes

Where Steph ranks on ESPN’s list of top 100 21st century athletes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It is no secret that Steph Curry is one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but where does he rank among all-time great athletes across all sports?

ESPN recently ranked the top 100 athletes of the 21st century (since 2000), and to nobody’s surprise, Curry found his way near the top of the list.

14. Stephen Curry, basketball

Key accomplishments: NBA 75th Anniversary team, four-time NBA champion, 2022 Finals MVP, 10-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2022 All-Star Game MVP, two-time scoring leader, career leader in 3-pointers made

“Curry had been reluctant to call himself the greatest shooter of all time until he broke the career 3-point scoring record,” Kendra Andrews wrote. “Once he achieved that milestone in December 2021, he wasn’t so shy about it anymore. Curry has changed the way basketball is played — at every level of the sport. Nowadays you’ll find kids in high school gyms going through the same pregame shooting routine Curry does. And in the NBA, offenses are built around 3-point shooting like never before.

“If the way he revolutionized the game isn’t enough to solidify his standing in the NBA — and among great athletes around the world — his résumé is. After winning his first Finals MVP in 2022, to go along with his four titles, 10 All-Star appearances, nine All-NBA teams and two MVPs, Curry asked: “What are they going to say now?”

The 13 athletes ranked above Curry are:

1. Michael Phelps, swimming
2. Serena Williams, tennis
3. Lionel Messi, soccer
4. LeBron James, basketball
5. Tom Brady, football
6. Roger Federer, tennis
7. Simone Biles, gymnastics
8. Tiger Woods, golf
9. Usain Bolt, track
10. Kobe Bryant, basketball
11. Novak Djokovic, tennis
12. Rafael Nadal, tennis
13. Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer

It certainly is hard to argue against any of those names …

Among the 100 athletes on the list who have played in the 21st century, Curry is the third-highest-ranked basketball player behind James and Bryant and one of 24 total hoopers on the list, including Tim Duncan (No. 16), Shaquille O’Neal (17),…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-steph-ranks-espns-list-200328708.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-07-18 20:07:58

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